Tribute
by Waluigi-Official
Summary: What if the seal keeping the Kyuubi at bay was weaker than it was supposed to be. How would Naruto's life be affected? NaruHina. Slightly Stronger/Smarter Naruto. Rated M for blood, violence, and sexual content in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry guys. I write what I read. Hopefully I'll write more BotW chapters soon. Merry Christmas though. This is my first 10,000 word FanFiction. Tell me if you like it.**

 **I don't own Naruto. Wish I did.**

* * *

 _Sandaime Hokage POV_

"Report to me immediately, after you cleaned away the bodies!"

"Yes Hokage-sama!" The ANBU said. The Hokage surveyed the damage, and then proceeded to lift Naruto onto his shoulder and shunshined to his office. ' _I don't understand!'_ He thought. ' _The seal was supposed to hold almost all the fox's chakra, only letting a small amount through. Naruto had released so much at once, that it felt like a mini nine-tails entered the village.'_

"ANBU!" The Hokage said into his speaker. An ANBU member appeared. "I need you to summon Jiraiya, the Toad Sage Sannin, back to the village. This is a high priority S-class mission. Do you understand?"

"Yes Hokage-sama!" The ANBU left as fast as possible. The Hokage turned to Naruto, who was laying on the couch. His body was extensively burned, but he could see the healing taking place. ' _At least the fox's chakra still does that_.' The Hokage tried to comprehend what had happened. The Kyuubi festival had taken place today. Just that morning he had gone to Naruto's apartment, with a birthday gift(A new set of Kunai, and his monthly stipend, plus a little extra). And then, in the night, he had felt the surge of chakra. How the seal had failed he didn't know.

"Hokage-sama?" He heard from the outside.

"Yes, come in." Another ANBU entered the room. "Report."

"The damage to the buildings are minimal, the bodies have been cleared. We also found what appeared to be the remnants of a stake." The Hokage's eyes widened. ' _It seems the civilians had attempted to kill Naruto.'_ "There was only one survivor. She's still unconscious, but it doesn't seem as if the _**boy**_ , did it. Instead of claw marks, like we found on the bodies, she suffered blunt trauma to the side of her head. As if she was slapped away."

"Have you identified the bodies?" The Hokage asked.

"Some, sir. Most of the bodies were too brutally mutilated to be identified."

"And the identity of the girl."

"An unbranded Hyuuga, sir. Possibly the heiress"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Hokage-sama."

"Thank you. Take your leave." He waved the ANBU away. ' _Why would the heiress be present? She had no reason to be out that late at night. And why didn't he kill her too? Why Minato? Why did I take this job again?!'_ Glancing back over to Naruto, he saw that Naruto had suffered many stab wounds. His blood had soaked through his shirt, and his breathing was labored. He thumbed his call button. "Call a medic-nin to my office immediately. Thank you." He sank back into his chair, letting the time pass.

Then, over the intercom he heard, "The medic-nin is here sir. I'm sending her in." The medic-nin entered.

"You asked for me, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes I did. I want to know what is of the Hyuuga girl in care currently."

"She is doing fine sir, only blunt trauma to her left temple. She will wake in a few minutes. Anything else?"

"Please check in Naruto will be waking up today." He said, pointing to the couch. He noticed the look in the medic-nin's eyes, but he didn't have the energy to say anything. Reluctantly, the ninja checked for Naruto's vitals.

"The _**boy**_ , is fine, Hokage-sama. He has chakra burns, and stab wounds. They are all healing very well, he should wake up soon." The ninja said. "Anything else, sir?"

"No, you can leave. Thank you." The Hokage nodded to the medic-nin. After she had left, the Hokage pondered what was wrong with the seal.

"Where am I?" A groggy voice said. "Jiji?"

"Ahh Naruto, your awake. How are you feeling?"

"...I don't know Jiji. Why do the villagers hate me so much. Th-They tried t-t-to k-k-k...kill me!" At this point Naruto was sobbing into the Hokage's robes. He was reduced to incoherent rambling. The Hokage let the eight year old cry into his robe, wishing he could do more.

After Naruto had calmed down somewhat, the Hokage spoke again. "What do you remember, before waking up?"

"Um...I was tied to this pole thing, and then they stabbed me, and they...they kept calling me a demon child, and then...and then, this girl with weird eyes tried to stop them. I remember feeling really happy when she did, but then they hit here with the handle on the sword, and threw her to the side, and they said that...that I had p-pos-ssed her, and I don't know why, but when they hit her, I got really mad at them, and then this voice inside my head said that if I killed them, the pain would go away, and I told it I didn't want to, but then I could feel it...take over my body, and I felt really strong for a second...and I don't remember anything after that. What's wrong with me Jiji? Where did the voice come from?! Why did it s-"

"Your ranting, Naruto."

"Sorry, Jiji."

"It's understandable. After such a traumatic experience, I'm surprised you're even talking."

"Jiji? What did I do, to make the village so angry with me? I just want to understand why." he said, with a voice full of pain and longing.

"I was hoping to tell you this when you became a Chuunin, but I won't deny you information. However, this information is highly confidential, and cannot leave this room." Naruto's face was scrunched up in confusion. The Hokage just sighed, "You can't tell anybody else Naruto, unless you are sure they deserve to know."

"Okay." he nodded. "Just...I need to know why."

"Eight years ago, the Kyuubi attacked the village, and the Yondaime Hokage defeated it. He sealed it away, into his son. He sealed the Kyuubi, into you Naruto."

Naruto froze, a look of fear on his face. "So...the villagers are right. I'm a demon."

"NO! YOU ARE NOT!" Naruto flinched. "Naruto, you are a prison for the Kyuubi. The Kyuubi will always be contained inside you, all your thoughts, feelings, actions are yours. The fox can't control you. You need to understand that. Never, think that you are the Kyuubi."

"Then why do the villagers call me a demon?"

"Because they are ignorant and stupid. They can't tell the difference between a sword and it's sheath." The Hokage could only hope that Naruto wouldn't delve into self-loathing.

"Why did the Fourth, seal it inside his own...son. I'M HIS SON?!"

"Yes Naruto. You are the son of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze."

"YEAH, ALRIGHT! I HAVE THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD. HAHA." Naruto was bouncing around the room, shouting, and laughing, until all the sadness had gone. Now only curiosity remained. "Why did he seal it inside me though? I'm his son!"

"Minato, had a motto, when he became Hokage. He said that he would treat everyone in the village as equals, and no one person was more important than the other. He would protect every villager at the expense of his life if he had to. He said that a Hokage was a father to everybody. And his last words to me, were that if he couldn't sacrifice his own newly born son, then he didn't deserve to be Hokage." Naruto was silent for awhile. You could practically see the gears turning in his brain.

"I'm going to be Hokage, and protect everybody. Even if they hate me. I'll be the best Kage to ever live. Even better that my dad. I'll do it, no matter how hard it is. As a final thank you, to my Dad."

"That is a great goal, Naruto, I'm sure that you'll become Hokage. And I promise to be there to see it. But that'll never happen until you get your grades up."

"Hey! It's not my fault my grades are so low."

"Then who's is it?"

"I don't know Jiji. Everything I do is harder than it should be. Like my test yesterday had a question that said if 2x is equal to a kunai's speed, and the force of gravity is 3x to the 72nd power, what is the height of the kunai 100 meters from the thrower. I haven't learned that. What does it even mean?" ' _Those are Jonin questions! The teachers have been tampering with his tests!'_

"What else is hard?"

"When we do Taijutsu, the teachers always tell me to tilt my feet towards each other, but I look around, and other people have straight feet. But the teacher's tell me that they're doing it wrong too."

"Look Naruto. Some teachers are going to try and stop you from learning. When you are doing Taijutsu, just copy other students. And the tests...just leave them to me. Now then Naruto I want you t-"

"What do you need Hiruzen-sensei?" The Hokage looked up in surprise. Jiraiya was standing there.

"How did you get here so fast?" The Hokage asked.

"It's been 6 hours since you assigned the mission sir" The ANBU said.

"Really?" He checked the clock, it was 5 in the morning. "Well alright. You will be paid this afternoon. Thank you." He said, addressing the ANBU. "Well, thank you for coming on such short notice, Jiraiya."

"Who's this Jiji?"

"Who's this little kid. How has he not heard of the Gallant Toad Sage?" Before the Hokage could respond, Jiraiya turned to Naruto. "Surely you've heard of Icha-Icha before, right?" He said, pulling out a little orange book.

"Yeah I have."

"Of course you have. Now how d-"

"The women said only perverts read them. So your a pervert." Naruto said, a look of disgust on his face.

"I'm not a pervert. I'm a Super pervert!" Naruto and the Hokage sweat dropped. ' _He doesn't even try to hide it'_

"Look, Jiraiya, this kid is the Jinchuuriki, and we have reason to believe that the seal is failing.

"What's a Jinchuuriki and what do you mean the seal is failing?"

"A Jinchuuriki is a demon carrier, and today, the lapse in your memory resulted in the Kyuubi influencing you, telling you to kill them.

"Kid, take off your shirt and mould your chakra." Naruto complied, and the seal appeared on his stomach.

"Jiji, did I kill anybody?"

"Yes Naruto. people died."

"But Jiji! You said the Kyuubi didn't control me!"

"Look kid it doesn't matter. The Kyuubi still doesn't control you."

"How do you know?"

"I'm looking at the seal right now. Don't tell me what I know and don't know."

"Alright Jiraiya, how bad is it?" The Hokage asked, trying to control the conversation.

"It's better than it could be, but not optimal. The seal is a eight trigram seal, designed to leak chakra into his system. It only opens during times of extreme stress, like a life-threatening situation or times of extreme anger. At least that's what it's meant to do.

"What do you mean?"

"The eighth node is designed to protect his mind from the Fox. So The Kyuubi can't influence him. It's not complete. It still protects Naruto's mind, but The Kyuubi is an embodiment of hate. Any negative emotions and it will try to influence him."

"Is there anyway to fix it?"

"That would be way too risky to try. We would end up releasing the fox instead. It's safest to just let it be."

"So I have to live like this forever?"

"I think so, kid. Eventually you could control the Fox's chakra, but until then...I would just try not to get angry."

"Well how am I supposed to do that?!"

"I will inform the council. They'll know what to do."

"I have one question, Hiruzen-sensei. Why hasn't this happened before. With how the village treats him, he should have killed a lot of people by now."

"A 5 year old's anger is just sadness aimed outwards. His 6th and 7th birthday were spent with me. And Naruto isn't one to get angry easily. Irritated, yes. But Naruto usually doesn't get angry. But I suspect it has something to do with the Hyuuga girl who helped him."

"Ahh, a girl. Completely understandable."

"It wasn't like that! Ero-jisan! I was just happy someone would defend me, but when they hit her, I hated them."

"Sure kid, sure. Whatever you need to think. Now then, if we're done, I need to do some research. Bye!" He jumped out the window, disappearing from sight.

"Is he always like that, Jiji?"

"Yes Naruto. Now then, you can't tell anybody about your parents, just like the Kyuubi."

"Why not?" He whined.

"Both your parents made many enemies, it would be unsafe for you."

"Then why am I called Uzumaki?"

"Everyone believes that it's just a tribute to your mother, Kushina. No one thinks you're her son. Naruto, after you killed those people, their friends will obviously come after you. We are moving you out of your apartment, and into your parents private home. You will inherit all they owned, and live by yourself."

"What?"

"You have a new home, and money."

"Awesome! I can't wait! Let's go!" He tried to leave.

"You don't know where it is Naruto!"

"Oh yeah." He said sheepishly, "Sorry."

"It's located on the outskirts of the village. On the eastern side. You'll find a field of grass that you can use for training, and a massive gate. There will be a seal on the gate, just wipe your blood on it, and you'll be recognized as the new owner. I'll visit in the afternoon."

"Thanks, Jiji." He said, and ran to hug the Hokage. He turned towards the door, but before he opened it he turned around again. "Jiji?"

"Yes Naruto."

"Do I have to go to school tomorrow?"

"No Naruto, you need some time. Just go back after the break, Alright?"

"And can I change my name?"

"What do you mean, Naruto?"

"I just want to be called Naruto Namikaze instead. To honor my dad."

"But people aren't supposed to know who your father is."

"If people don't know who my mother is, then they don't know who my father is."

"It may be true, but you look like a carbon copy of your father, minus the whisker marks."

"Just...please Jiji. I really want this." The Hokage stares at the blondes pleading face. His heart melted until it resembled goo.

"Alright. Fine. From now on Naruto Uzumaki is renamed as, Naruto Namikaze."

Naruto smiled, one of his only real, genuine smiles. "Thanks Jiji. I'll see you later. " and he left.

The Hokage turned around, and watched the sun, rise above the horizon. It seemed it would be, another sleepless night for him. ' _And I just finished the paperwork work. *Sigh* I'm too old for this shit.'_

* * *

 _Naruto's POV_

He walked down the street slowly, trying to absorb all the knowledge he had learned, and a mantra playing over, and over in his head. ' _I'm not the fox, I'm not the fox, I'm not the fox…'_ He was still having trouble accepting that. He stared at his hands, wondering if they were the same hands that killed, or the foxes. ' _No! Jiji said that I'm not the Fox, and the people are stupid. He wouldn't lie.'_ With that thought, he sped to his new home. He had nothing important in his apartment, just empty ramen cups. Everything Naruto held dearly, was kept with him at all times. His wallet, his money, his clothes. Hopefully he could get new ones. The ones he was wearing were covered in blood.

Finally, he stopped at what he thought was the place. There was a small house in the middle of a field. Naruto tried to get there, but recoiled when an electric shock tore through his body. Jiji has said something about a gate. Naruto looked around, and just 15 meters to his left. A massive gate stood alone. There was intricate writing that Naruto couldn't decipher. Jiji has said to wipe his blood on the seal. Naruto used his long canine to bite his thumb, and pressed it to the gate. The seal glowed red for a second, before vanishing, and the gate opened. Naruto stepped trough, and as soon as he passed, the gate swung shut behind him, but now the seal was gone. In its place was a symbol the read "Namikaze".

"A new home. Where no one can hurt me." He mumbled under his breath. As he trudged his way to the house, he saw a lot of wooden stakes with targets. The perfect training grounds.

Inside the house, there was a wall dedicated to scrolls. Lots of scrolls. Naruto cringed at the thought of reading them all. Compared to his old place, this place was gigantic. 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom. Naruto slowly explored his new home. After inspecting all the other rooms, he checked the Master Bedroom. A King sized bed stood against the far wall, and a crib was in the corner. ' _That's where I was supposed to be!'_ He didn't like the crib, it made him question what his life would have been like if his parents were still alive.

Sitting down on the bed, he realized how tired he was, and how much stuff had taken place. That morning, for the first time in years, cried himself to sleep.

In the afternoon he heard a jingle coming from outside. "Come in!" He shouted, not quite awake. Soon enough, the Hokage was standing in his home. He had brought some clothes. "Hey Jiji. What are you doing here?"

"Well Naruto, I just wanted to make sure you were accustomed to your new home. It's very different from your apartment."

"It's so big! But there are a lot of scrolls…" He trailed off.

"I happen to know that Minato only wrote down the best Jutsu. Every scroll is important. Is there anything you need?"

"Ramen. "

"Other than that."

"Could you take the crib away. I don't like looking at it." He said looking away. He was ashamed of himself for seeming weak.

"Don't be ashamed. Show your emotions. Emotions can make a Shinobi powerful. Love, and Friendship. That's what you should fight for. It's okay to be weak sometimes, as long as your strong other times. Now then, I'll take the crib away, and leave you be. Remember to go back after the Winter Break, Naruto."

"Alright Jiji." After the Hokage had left, Naruto changed into his new clothes, threw the bloody ones away. Naruto opened his closet he found what looked like a cloak designed for a 12 year old. It was white, with red flames on the bottom. On it was written "Naruto Namikaze". He pulled it out and tried it on. The bottom lay on the floor. ' _I'll wear it when I graduate.'_ He thought.

After replacing it, he went over to the dresser and looked inside one of the drawers. It was empty, any clothes had been eaten away. Finally, the desk. It was a standard mahogany desk. Inside however, there was a letter.

 _Dear Naruto,_

 _If you're reading this, I am dead. I wrote this as insurance so that you would know who I was. I'm sorry I left you. When I found out Kushina was pregnant, I was so excited. Now I can't see you grow up. Hopefully, Kushina is there with you. If not, I'm sorry you are alone. We have left you with everything we owned. You are the heir to the Uzumaki and the Namikaze clan, as well as the only living one. Hopefully, you have already graduated. If not, something must have happened. In my scroll library, you will find all my Jutsu, including the Hiraishin and Rasengan. You will also find a diary I kept when I was younger. Just know that your mother and I would be proud of you,no matter what you do, and we love you. I hope you can forgive us._

 _With Undying Love and Devotion,_

 _Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze_

Naruto read and re-read the letter. The only words he had from his parents. He stood, and slowly walked to the wall of scrolls. On the far left, he found a small notebook. He opened the first page.

 _A Ninja is always careful and focused._

 _Today I found out Kushina was pregnant. To tell the truth, I'm scared about what this means for the kid. As Hokage I might not survive to see him grow up. As a failsafe, I'm going to write a letter, after we name him. Also, Jiraiya-sensei just finished his book. So far I like it. Naruto never gives up. Hopefully, the book is successful. I discovered the cure to paperwork, Kage Bunshin. I only have the reserves to make 10 or so. I aim to master it as fast as possible._

Before Naruto could cry to himself, he put the book in his pocket. He turned to the scrolls, picking one at random.

Kawarimi _, E-class_

 _Hand signs: Tiger, Boar, Ox, Dog, Snake_

 _Used for: Escaping an attack, the user switches places with an object_

 _Shunshin, D-class_

 _Hand signs: Tiger_

 _Used for: Extreme movement, the user supercharges their cells with chakra, allowing undetectable movement._

 _Hiraishin, S-class_

 _Hand signs: N/A_

 _Used for: Teleportation, the user places a seal, and opens a pocket dimension, allowing instantaneous teleportation. User releases a yellow flash._

' _An S-class Jutsu? Awesome! What else did my dad do?'_ He wondered. He glanced at the next scroll, and noticed 'Namikaze' was on the outside. Pulling it out, he opened it.

 _Rasengan, A-class_

 _Hand signs: N/A_

 _Used for: Chakra attack, the user gathers chakra in their palm, rotating it in multiple directions, containing it in a ball, before ramming it into a target_

 _Note: This Jutsu is incomplete. I want to add Nature manipulation to it._

Below both the Rasengan and Hiraishin had extensively detailed diagrams. ' _In his notebook, Dad talked about a Bunshin thing?'_ Naruto searched the shelves. Every scroll was labeled, _Nature, Summoning, Henge, Taijutsu_ (Naruto took this one) _, Genjutsu, Walking_ (Naruto took this one too) _, Releases, Genjutsu Identification, Bunshin. 'Here it is!'_ He pulled it off the shelf.

 _Bunshin, E-class_

 _Hand signs: Ram, Snake, Tiger_

 _Used for: A fake clone, used as diversion_

 _Kage Bunshin, B-class_

 _Hand signs: Tiger_

 _Used for: A solid clone, user splits chakra evenly among clones, creating solid copies. It is very chakra intensive, should not be attempted with low reserves. The solid clone has a mind of its own, and can understand what the user wants based on the user's thoughts before use. When the clone runs out of chakra, or is hit with a solid blow, it will dissipate, and any chakra and memories the clone has will be transferred to the owner. This makes it perfect for espionage, as it can gather information, and later dissipate without escaping. Kage Bunshin can also use Jutsu themselves, but only with enough chakra._

' _They sound really cool! Let me try!'_ Naruto looked back at the hand signs _._ Good thing they had learned the hand signs in school _._ He placed all the scrolls on the desk, stood in a horse stance, and concentrated his chakra. " _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ He shouted. The room filled with smoke, and he was squished into a corner, the room was overflowing with bodies, practically stacked on top of each other. "Hey what's going on?"

"I don't know!"

"Get off me!"

"I can't!"

"Release!" All the clones disappeared, and the real Naruto was left alone. "Hehe, I guess I used too much chakra." He said to himself. Thankfully, the scrolls hadn't been damaged. He picked up the Hiraishin and Rasengan scroll. ' _If I want to be a better Hokage than my Dad, I need to learn his Jutsu. He said the Rasengan isn't complete. I'll finish it for him.'_ He thought with conviction. He checked the scroll labeled walking.

 _Tree climbing_

 _Gathering chakra in the feet, stick to side of a tree, allowing the user to walk up walls and on ceilings_

 _Water walking_

 _Flowing chakra in a stream through your feet, you float over the water_

 _Note: Both these techniques are good chakra control training. You learn these, and you can learn any Jutsu._

Naruto had made up his mind. He would become the best ninja in the academy, and if his Dad was the greatest Hokage, then he could be even better.

 _ **Time skip: 2 ½ months**_

Today was the first of January and the beginning of the new semester. Naruto has promised the Hokage that he would go back to school. Over the last two months, Naruto has improved drastically, mastering the walking exercises and working on the 2nd stage of the Rasengan. Jiraiya has come by once, and pointed out what Naruto was doing wrong. Naruto has attempted the Hiraishin too but nothing had happened, no matter how hard he tried. Naruto had new clothing, a black t shirt with a red swirl on the back, orange pants and a kunai holder strapped to his right knee.

Walking towards the academy, he saw the looks on civilians' faces. They were full of hate, but there was a new look too, a look of fear. Naruto hated it. He really hated it. He didn't want to be feared. He could feel the Fox trying to influence him. He spoke sometimes, always angry and jerkish. Naruto ignored him. His father had written that a good Ninja never let his emotions affect his thoughts. He felt emotions, but never let them control him, only empower. Naruto has practiced his self-control and was happy to say that he could somewhat control his anger.

Naruto was still excited though. He could feel how much stronger he was. His chakra control was better, he could understand what he read. He also understood that some people would always try to sabotage him. It wasn't enough, but it was the best he could do as an orphan.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an ANBU member tailing him. After the incident, the Hokage had insisted Naruto be watched when he left home. Naruto found it slightly annoying, but he could understand why it had to happen. Naruto entered the school, and slowly walked to his classroom.

 _ **Inside the Classroom**_

Iruka gazed over the class, noting who was absent. He had hoped that Naruto would have returned by now. He had been informed by the Hokage that teachers were sabotaging Naruto's test, and Naruto should have returned by today. He took attendance.

"Sakura Haruno?"

"Here!"

Sasuke Uchiha?"

"I'm here."

"Ino Yamanaka?"

"Yes."

"Hinata Hyuuga?"

"H-here."

"Naruto…Naruto Namikaze?"

"I'm right here." Naruto stood in the doorway, a fake smile plastered on his face.

"When did you change your name?"

"A couple months ago. I wanted to try something new." Naruto said before making his way into the classroom. He saw the look on most of the kids faces.

" **Nobody wants you here. Get rid of them."**

' _Shut up, you stupid fox!'_ He screamed in his head. He looked for a seat, and spotted one in the back, next to a familiar looking girl with weird eyes. ' _I remember those eyes...that's the girl from that night! I should say thank you."_ He walked over to her. As he approached, he noticed how red she was. ' _Is she sick or something?'_

"Your that girl from the Kyuubi Festival, right?" He asked. She nodded. "Well, I never got to thank you, and I'm sorry that you got hurt because of me." He looked away.

"I-I-It's f-fine." She was nervous. He was standing right in front of her, thanking her for something she was sure he would hate her for. He didn't want help. That's what she thought.

"I'm Naruto Namikaze." He said holding out his hand.

"I'm H-Hin-nata Hy-yuu-g-ga." He blinked, her sentence was barely audible, and he had a hard time working through her stutter.

"Do you always stutter?" He asked innocently.

"G-g-gom-m-men." Her eyes teared up.

"No no. Don't cry. I was just wondering. There's nothing wrong with a stutter."

"I-I only st-stutter when I'm n-n-ner-v-vou-s-s." It was getting worse.

"Why are you nervous? I'm not going to do anything."

"G-gomen."

"Well anyway, is the seat free?" He said pointing at the seat next to her. She flushed red, to the point where she looked like a tomato.

"H-h-hai!" She squeaked out.

"Thanks Hinata-chan!" She couldn't take anymore. She squealed and fainted on the spot, slumping onto the desk. ' _Is she okay?!'_ Naruto thought. He'd seen that happen before, she seemed to faint a lot, but he still hoped she wasn't sick. Iruka always said to leave her be, and she'd wake up. Thankfully, she woke up just as the class started.

"Are you alright, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked, concern etched on his face. She blushed again.

"Y-y-yes, N-n-nar-r-ruto-k-k-kun." They weren't paying really attention, Iruka was only saying that he was glad they were back. Hinata was ecstatic. Naruto was sitting with her and talking to her. He wasn't mad. He called her chan! She'd been stalking him since he'd saved her from those mean kids, and had a very strong crush, but was too shy to say anything.

"Alright class, let's go outside and demonstrate what you've learned over the break. Any volunteers…no, alright I'm calling on people. Sakura?"

"No Sensei."

"Ino?"

"Okay!" Naruto wasn't paying attention. He turned to Hinata.

"Do you have anything to show, Hinata-chan?"

"I-I do, b-but...it's n-not strong." She cringed.

"Of course it's strong! You stop those guys! You're stronger than I am!"

"T-that's n-not what m-my...Dad says." She winced. She didn't feel like she was strong.

"Bullshit! Anybody who can stand up to those guys is strong!"

"Language!" He just smiled. Did he really believe that she was strong? His eyes sparkled, but there was a new thing in them. The eyes of someone who had glimpsed the real world, and was prepared to take it.

"I believe in you, Hinata, and you should too." He said, holding her hand. She blushed, but told herself that he was right, and she could do it.

"Hinata? Are you ready?"

"Yes." She said without stuttering. She stepped into the field, facing the wooden post. " _ **Eight Trigrams: 16 palms!"**_ She relentlessly attack the post, and when she was done, you could clearly see chakra palm imprints.

The class clapped. "I'm impressed, Hinata." Iruka said. Naruto was smiling, which made Hinata glow. She'd never felt so happy since her mother had died.

"Good job, Hinata-chan!" Naruto said when she lined up "I told you."

"Yes, thank you N-naruto-kun." She was still embarrass by the honorific.

"Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Yes." He went to the front. _Tiger, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger._ " _ **Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"**_ He said and a blast of fire left his mouth, charring the poor wooden stake.

"Yeah! Sasuke! He's _so_ cool!" Some new Fangirls screamed. He just stared at them awkwardly, before slowly turning away.

"O-kay?" Naruto asked, not sure what had happened. Hinata was just as confused. Sasuke wasn't very attractive, and he wasn't as nice as Naruto was. So why were most of the girls attracted to him? "Thank god your not like that, Hinata."

"Naruto Namikaze?"

"Hey, what would the idiot even do? He doesn't have any family!"

"And he's been gone for months!" Various things were heard throughout the group of students. It was to the point where Iruka had to use his signature technique.

"BE QUIET!" He screamed, using the _**Bighead no Jutsu**_ _._ "Naruto is entitled to demonstrate if he feels like it. Naruto, do you have anything to present?"

"It's not complete, but I can still show."

"Just like the dead last, doesn't even know a complete Jutsu!" Sakura said. Naruto ignored her. As he stood at the charred post, he held his hand at up and closed his eyes.

There was the sound of swirling, and a blue, cyclone like structure appeared in Naruto's hand. As he concentrated it got bigger and bigger, swirling faster and faster, until, with a guttural shout, he drove his hand into the wood. Splinters flew in every direction, until Naruto pulled his hand away. The wooden post had been chipped, an indent of a swirl was the only difference. "What was the point of that? It didn't do anything as cool as Sasuke's did!" Ino said. Naruto just smiled and turned the stake around.

On the back, most of the wood was gone, a distorted hole in the middle of the wood was the only indication wood had been there. Iruka was shocked. No Jutsu name. No hand signs. Only destructive power. "Naruto...you said that it was incomplete, right?"

"Yep."

"Then I'd hate to be your enemy when you do complete it. Alright, is there anyone else?" He asked, taking control of the class again. He was met with only silence. "Thank you, to those of you who demonstrated. Those who did not, it would be better if you trained a little harder." he said, with a pointed glare at Sakura. She didn't react. "Everyone, back inside!"

"Y-y-you did a v-very g-good job N-na-naru-t-to-k-kun." Hinata had reverted back to her old shy self. The boost of confidence only lasted so long. As the class slowly trudged back to the classroom, Naruto took out a scroll labeled Taijutsu.

 _Taijutsu is hand to hand combat. No tricks or disguises. Therefore, you should learn as many styles as possible, so that you can counter any style you come across, Incorporate many styles into your own stance, and you will be very unpredictable. After All, the best ninja can never be predicted. Of course, with learning many styles, you will find that some fit you better than others do. Use these, but not to the point of Habit. You may come across an opponent with a better style than you. In this case, you need to end the fight as fast as possible, use every opening, and use it to the brink of insanity. Remember, overkill doesn't exist. If your opponent is stronger than you, end the fight before they can use that strength. If your opponent is faster than you, exhaust them before they hit you. A ninja can always learn more, and studying your friends and your opponents is key. Opponents, do make the best teachers. If you're having trouble identifying an opponent's weak point, observe their stance. An enemy will almost always use their stronger, dominant side first. In this case, you n-_

"Put the scroll away, Naruto!" Iruka shouted. The students turned in surprise to find that the dead last was in fact, reading.

"But why?" Naruto whined. His father had been a much better teacher than any of his other teachers.

"Because you need to pay attention. Now then, what do you know about the Hokage?" The class snickered, everyone knew the blonde never had an answer.

"Which one?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Um...oh. The Yondaime Hokage was the strongest Hokage, maybe even the strongest in the world, until he died in the Kyuubi attack." Naruto winced when he said that. It was weird, not being able to say everything that he knew.

"That's true, but you could have said more, Naruto." Iruka sighed. At least he knew what they were talking about. In only the first day, Naruto had improved quite a bit. New Jutsu, and knowledge. Hopefully it would translate into his other classes.

As time passed, Naruto had a harder time paying attention. He tried to, but old habits die hard. He focused on Hinata instead. So far, she had been the nicest, and most caring person he had ever met. She didn't care that everyone else hated him, now if only he could stop the stuttering.

Hinata noticed him staring at her, and tried not to faint. He had been very nice, and he had talked to her. All day! It was a miracle. Hopefully, it would stay that way.

"Finally!" Naruto said, as the ending bell went off. He jumped out of his chair with newfound energy. "Hey, Hinata-chan? You want to train with me? You know, as friends?" ' _I hope she says yes.'_ Meanwhile Hinata was freaking out. He had called her a friend! She desperately tried to answer.

"Y-y-yes!" She shouted. Thankfully, the room was empty. She did still blush though.

"Great! I have a training grounds at my place. We should train there."

"Y-you mean, at y-y-your-r h-ho-house?"

"Yeah! Come on!"

"Hai!" She said, and promptly fainted afterwards. Naruto just ignored it. She was fine. More importantly, she had said yes. He wasn't sure when she would wake up, so he hoisted her onto his back, and went back home. On the way, he saw the looks of disgust on the civilians faces, but didn't understand what they were thinking.

Hinata woke up just as he reached the gate. She could feel herself moving, and a nice smell. Then, she remembered exactly what had happened "Kyaa!" She screamed, and kicked herself away from Naruto. Of course, without Naruto holding her up, she landed square on her ass. "Owww!" Naruto was next to he in a flash.

"Are you okay, Hinata-chan?"

"Y-yes, N-naru-ruto-kun." She was still in pain though.

"I'm sorry for dropping you."

"It's n-not your f-fault." She really hated her stutter.

"Well anyway, we're here." He said. Hinata-Chan looked up, and in front of her was a massive gate, on it was a single seal ' _Namikaze'_ She did notice that there was no fence though.

He grabbed her hand and helped her stand up(she blushed). As soon as they approached, the gate swung open. All she could see was a field, filled with training posts. Some were untouched, some had kunai and shuriken wedged in them. Their were craters all around. "Is this...yours?!" She was too shocked to stutter. She didn't remember him ever coming here before. Then again, he hadn't been at his apartment either.

"I moved here after… the festival. I live here now." He pointed towards his house. "Jiji gave me all this stuff." He lied. ' _Jiji said, don't tell.'_

"Jiji? I thought y-you didn't have a f-fam-mily."

"Jiji is the Hokage. And I'm going to replace him!"

"Wha?"

"When I grow up, I'm going to be the Hokage! The best one to ever live!"

Time passed quickly. Naruto, progressed well, but teachers still sabotaged his grades. He was unable to leave the spot of dead last, no matter how hard he tried. Hinata, however, was doing magnificently. She was the top kunoichi, and she only stuttered when Naruto got very close. Their friendship, had slowly dragged Hinata out of her shell. Naruto made her confident, and Hinata helped him control his chakra. In their third year of school, Naruto mastered the Rasengan(and demonstrated it to an astounded class), and had finally gotten the Hiraishin to work. The Hiraishin was however, incomplete, and Naruto could only use it once before his chakra control got ruined. Naruto skipped school too, but replaced himself with a shadow clone, so he would learn anyway. He trained with over 100 shadow clones everyday, some studied scrolls, some practiced Hiraishin and attempted to finish the Rasengan, and the original spent all day, reading his father's diary. The first time Hinata had seen the clones, she had fainted from being surrounded by so many Narutos. Hinata, has progressed too, and was trying to learn the _**Kaiten**_. The Hyuuga clan still didn't know that Hinata and Naruto trained together. All they knew was that Hinata came home very late and tired, but stronger and happier than she had been in the morning.

On the day before graduation, Naruto decided that they deserved a break. "Hinata, let's go eat some Ramen!"

"Naruto!" She chided. "You need to eat something other than ramen!" He was wearing a bright orange shirt and black pants.

"Hey! I didn't eat any this morning. I had a normal breakfast!" He said.

"And you should have a normal lunch too."

"Nu-uh. Ramen for life. We're going to Ichiraku's." He grabbed her hand, and sped to Ichiraku Ramen. Hinata couldn't really say no to him. After all,she did love him. Everything about him. The way he smiled and his brimming confidence. He could control himself when necessary, but could also be childish. She could never, never deny him anything.

"Alright. Let's go." He grinned.

At Ichiraku's, Naruto consumed bowl after bowl of Ramen. Hinata was comfortable with only one. She preferred Cinnamon Buns anyway. "Hey, Hinata. You ready to graduate?" Naruto asked, his mouth full of Ramen.

"I think so. I'm not sure." She said, thinking about Neji.

"Hinata! You're top Kunoichi! You are definitely graduating!" He pointed his chopsticks at her.

"Thanks, Naruto-kun." He finished his last Ramen bowl.

"I'll pay you next time, alright?" Naruto said. Teuchi just shook his head.

"This is the fifth time, Naruto!" Naruto laughed, and ran.

"You need to pay him, he feeds you all t-"

"THERE YOU ARE! NARUTO!" An ANBU squad, was at the end of the street. They seemed really angry.

"What did you do this time?" Hinata whispered. Naruto just smiled sheepishly.

"I may have, um, set off a stink bomb in their headquarters, and then, while they were distracted, um, replaced their weapons with, uh...dildos…" Hinata said nothing. She didn't trust her voice. Puberty had set in pretty hard. "I didn't do anything illegal, alright. I bought all of them." He defended, slowly backing from the ANBU.

"They sold them to you?" Hinata asked, incredulously.

"Henge." Was his only answer.

"We found Naruto, code orange. On corner of Ichiraku Ramen."

"Shit." Naruto bolted. Hinata just stepped aside for the ANBU, who had taken the chase.

"HINATA! WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH THE DEMON BRAT?!" Hinata turned to see her father tearing down the street towards her. Her face paled after seeing his eyes. He looked fully prepared to kill her. "You will come home, NOW!" He said, his voice laced with venom.

 _With Naruto_

' _God dammit, Hinata. You were supposed to stop them! Jeez. Now I need to do it myself.'_ He jumped to the roof. The ANBU followed as fast as possible. "You'll never catch me, you never have and you never will!" Naruto cackled. They were slowly gaining though, so Naruto booked it to the Namikaze home. The barrier would protect him.

"GET BACK HERE, NARUTO!" said an ANBU wearing an Emu mask. They were kind of smelly. Like Kiba.

"WHY!" He shouted back, subtlety turning into the forest near his house.

"SO WE CAN SHOVE A POLE UP YOUR ASS, YOU FUCKIN' ASSHOLE!"

"LANGUAGE, EMU-SAN!" Naruto chided as he crossed his property line. "TO LATE ANYWAY!" The ANBU recoiled against the electric barrier, spazzing out, before picking themselves up. He had escaped again. They cursed many obscenities at the prankster, but they couldn't do anything about it.

' _They're gone, thank god. Maybe they'll forget about it in the morning.'_ The gate bell rang. ' _Who's that? Hinata maybe.'_ He walked to his gate. "Iruka-sensei? What are you doing here?"

"I just want to talk. Please, let me in." Iruka had a sophisticated, stoic look. Naruto opened his gate. As Iruka walked in the gate swung shut.

"What is it, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked innocently.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW CONFUSED THE ANBU ARE?! THEY ASKED ME, YOUR SENSEI, TO DISCIPLINE YOU! YOU'RE GRADUATING TOMORROW, CAN'T YOU BE SERIOUS FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE?!" Iruka ranted using his _**BigHead no Jutsu**_. Naruto didn't really react. But on the inside he was basically pissing himself. Only quick-thinking stopped it from actually happening.

" _ **Oiroke no Jutsu!"**_ In a puff of smoke, a busty, sexy girl stood by Iruka. "You wouldn't scream at me, would you?" She said seductively. Iruka paused, blood trickling from his nose, before pounding the girl on her head, forcing her back into Naruto.

"AND STOP USING STUPID JUTSU THAT HAVE NO USE IN THE REAL WORLD! YOU'RE ABOUT TO BECOME A NINJA GODDAMMIT!"

"It does have use in the real world! It's an anti pervert Jutsu! I know for a fact that I can knock Jiji out with it!" Iruka sighed. He'd hoped it wouldn't have come to this.

"You know what, Naruto, I'm not buying you anymore Ramen for a month." Naruto's face went dark. He was completely silent for a bit. Iruka almost felt guilty...almost.

"There will be reckoning, Iruka-sensei." Was the last thing Iruka heard before he was thrown out. The gate shut behind him. He gulped. Hopefully it wouldn't be too bad.

 _ **The next morning**_

"Hokage we need you!"

"What's going on?"

"Naruto's defaced the Hokage monument!"

"What?!"

"Also, all the hospitals water has been laced with laxatives, and the Nara deer have been shaved, the Akimichi have no food, the Inuzuka dogs are vomiting, the hot springs are cold, the training grounds are filled with craters, and the school has a rat, spider, cockroach infestation. No one can enter the building." The Hokage's jaw dropped at the seemingly endless list of pranks.

"How did he pull that off?! Without alerting anyone?!"

"We don't know sir. And we had an ANBU watching his house. He never left."

"Then how do you know it was him?"

"Who else would do this?"

"Bring him here. And bring Iruka Umino too."

Meanwhile, Naruto was snickering. His shadow clones had done the best he could've asked for. Good thing they had been training before. He couldn't be pinned down for this one. "Naruto Namikaze, The Hokage has asked for you to meet him at his office! Now!" He heard a voice from outside. Of course they would suspect him. He was the best prankster anyway. ' _Poker face, activate!'_

He made his way to the Hokage's Office, relishing in the screams of horror coming from the Inuzuka compound. At the office, he slowly made his way up the stairs. Inside, Iruka was standing by the Hokage's desk, and was looking very irritated.

"Naruto. What were you thinking?"

"Huh? What about?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT!"

"Stay calm, Iruka. Now, Naruto, do you know what's going on?"

"I heard screams on the way here. Did something happen?"

"Yes. A series of 'pranks' hit many places last night. The village is in complete pandemonium. I want to know why you did it."

"It wasn't me! I never left home!"

"That's a lie, Naruto, and you know it! Just yesterday, you said, and I quote, 'there will be reckoning.' Who else could it be?"

"I don't know! Don't blame me!"

"Enough, Naruto. You will clean up this mess, starting with the school, then the Hokage monument, and replace he Akimichi's food. That's final."

"Jiji!"

"Respect the Hokage, Naruto!"

Naruto ignored him. He turned and stomped out. "Hopefully, the school will be ready soon. Why would he do that Hokage-sama?"

"I have no idea."

 _ **10 minutes later**_

Iruka walked into the classroom to find that Kiba was covered in vomit, Shikamaru was napping, and Naruto was staring at Hinata, who seemed to be avoiding him. "What are you doing here, Naruto? You're supposed to clean up your mess!" Chaos consumed the classroom.

"It was you?!"

"You idiot!"

"Why would you do that?!"

"Something could have happened to Sasuke, you dolt!"

"BE QUIET!" Iruka said using the _**Bighead no Jutsu**_. "Naruto?" He said impatiently.

"I finished."

"What do you mean you finished?! There was so much that had to be done!" Iruka said. He didn't believe Naruto could clean all of it in time for graduation.

"I cleaned the mess up."

"Go and finish, Naruto."

"I'm done. You can see that the Hokage monument is clean, the school is empty of pests, and Choji has food again. I did everything the Hokage asked. Iruka stares at him, before checking outside. The Hokage monument was just how it was supposed to be, clean. The entire village was cleaner than he ever remembered.

"How?" Iruka asked, in disbelief. Naruto could not have cleaned it all himself. Naruto just smiled.

"If you start the test I'll show you." His eyes twinkled, shining with a hidden glee. But when they rested on Hinata, the happiness faded away. From what Naruto could see, she was hunched over, as if she was trying to hide herself, and she refused to even look at him. It made Naruto feel very miserable, seeing his only friend hide away from him.

"Never mind. Alright, class. Today is graduation. It will be composed of a written test, weapon skills, Taijutsu, and the three Ninjutsu. Henge, Kawarimi, and Bunshin. Mizuki will pass out the test now. Naruto narrowed his eyes, Mizuki had never liked him. He would probably hand him a doctored copy.

He was proven right when, after glancing over the paper, he couldn't understand a single word. He raised his hand. Iruka raised an eyebrow, but did walk over. "What is it?" Naruto pointed at his test.

"My paper's been sabotaged." Iruka looked at the test. It definitely not meant for academy students. He nodded and produced another test for Naruto. He knew Mizuki didn't like Naruto, and the civilian council didn't want Naruto to pass, but they had gone too far.

As the hours passed, people slowly started turning in their papers. Iruka graded each one, and was pleased to see that Naruto had passed. When Hinata walked up to hand in her test, he noticed that there was a rather large bruise on her neck, and judging by the way she held herself, on the rest of her body too. She saw him staring, and hunched in even further, in an attempt to hide it.

When everybody had handed in the test Iruka instructed the class to go outside. They began the weapons test. Sakura barely passed, while Sasuke, as expected, got a near perfect score. Hinata did 2nd best, and Naruto should have scored higher, but a freak gust of wind pushed most of his kunai off course, resulting in a score only slightly better than Sakura's. He glanced at Mizuki, noticing the subtle hand movements.

"For the Taijutsu portion, we will have 1 on 1 fights. The loser is either knocked out of the ring, or is unconscious. First students, Sakura and Shiju." While the Taijutsu test began, Naruto went to find Hinata. She was in the very back, as far away from him as possible. Naruto felt a pain in his chest, hurt by her actions. As he approached, she saw him, and moved away as quickly as possible. Naruto swore he had seen tears in her eyes.

"Hinata and Ino!" Naruto stopped paying attention, even though Hinata was fighting. He didn't understand why she was avoiding him. He hadn't done anything to her, had he? ' _Did I say something that made her hate me?'_ Naruto still had self-blame issues, after all the animosity the civilians had treated him with.

"Sasuke and Shikamaru!" ' _I hope she forgives me, for whatever I did.'_ "You can't keep giving up, Shikamaru! How else will you become a ninja?" Iruka pleaded. Shikamaru hadn't even attempted to win. Sasuke just stood with his arms crossed, brooding as usual. He didn't seem to care if he fought or not. Shikamaru didn't reply, and left the circle. Iruka sighed "Why are the Nara so lazy? Whatever. Naruto and Kadechi!" Naruto shuffled into the circle. He seemed a lot less enthusiastic than usual. Kadechi however, looked confident. "Ready?" Iruka asked. They nodded. "Begin!"

"Hey, Idiot. Yeah you! Who else?" Kadechi said. Naruto looked at him. He was already having a hard time containing his anger. "You mad cause your girlfriend isn't talking to you? It's about time. I mean, why would anyone want to talk to you. You're poor, have no family, and your the demon brat. If anything, she should've left you a long time ago. Naruto's face darkened slowly. He really, really wanted to rip into the guy. "Shut up." He growled

Kadechi grinned. His parents had warned him about angering the demon brat, but what was the worst that could happen. He pushed a little harder. "She could've gone for a real man, like me. I'm not a blonde idiot."

"Shut. Up."

"And your a pussy. You haven't even tried anything with her.

"I said. Shut. **Up.** "

"By now, I would have ravaged her naked, sexy body. Again, and again." Suddenly, he was assaulted by the largest force of killing intent he'd ever felt. The pressure was so immense, it forced him to his knees. He tried to stab himself, to get rid of the feeling, but his arm was too heavy.

" **I told you to SHUT. UP!"** Naruto screamed, his voice mixed with a deeper, inhuman voice. His hair was wild, erratic. His nails had sharpened into what could be easily defined as claws. His already abnormalities long canines lengthened even further, to the point where they were longer than any humans should be. His whisker marks darkened, and seemed more animalistic. But the most notable change was his eyes. Normally, Naruto's eyes were a simple shade of blue, full of mischievousness and kindness. But now, they were a blood red, the pupils of a fox.

Kadechi stared, too scared to move, too scared to breath. He sat in a puddle of his own urine, unable to control his bladder under the pressure. The class however, focused on Naruto. "What happened to him, Iruka-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing good. Nothing good." Iruka knew he wasn't powerful enough to take down an angry Jinchuuriki. And even the ANBU may not have been enough.

Naruto darted forward, too fast to see. Kadechi was thrown back, but before he could fall outside, Naruto was behind him. Again, and again, and again. Kadechi was tossed like a rag doll, but Naruto never let him leave the ring.

"It's… it's horrible. He's toying with him. You need to make him stop!" Sakura cried. People were murmuring.

"No wonder my parents told me not to make him mad."

"Yeah, this is brutal."

"At least it's not me."

Iruka tried to reason with Naruto. "Naruto, you need to stop, before you kill him!"

Naruto turned towards the rest of the class. His eyes were empty, dead. With no familiarity behind them. " **Kill. Kill them all. Make it go away."** Naruto said, he dropped Kadechi, who landed in a heap. He wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

Naruto stalked towards the class, like a predator relishing its final moments with its prey. Iruka stepped forward, in a vain attempt to protect the class. Out the corner of his eye, Iruka saw a flash of blue colored hair. "No! Hinata! He'll kill you!"

"Stop, Naruto!" She stood in front of him, blocking his way.

" **Kill her too. Everybody dies."**

"Everybody doesn't need to die! You aren't a killer, Naruto! I know your mad, but don't do it!" She cried out to him. He raised a clawed hand, and for a second, it looked like he was going to kill her, but his eyes faltered. His right eye changed back to blue. He seemed to be struggling to control himself. He screamed, his head raised to the sky. It sounded like thousands of knives were being scratched. All at once.

When he stopped screaming, his features were normal, and he had a look of deep sorrow on his face. "I'm...sorry." He said, before he faltered and keeled over, unconscious. Iruka checked his pulse. Hi heartbeat was erratic, but slowly became controlled. He was covered in chakra burns, but, befor Iruka's eyes, the skin slowly peeled away to reveal new, fresh skin underneath. Naruto's breathing slowed down, and he shuddered, as if he were sleeping.

"Help me, Hinata." Iruka said. He and Hinata carried Naruto into the building, the rest of the class reluctantly following. They set him down at his normal seat. He shuffled, and Hinata flinched when his hand hit her side. "Hinata, Why are you covered in bruises?"

She looked away, making sure no one else could hear. "Last night, I had…familial training, as punishment for being seen with Naruto."

"It sounds more like abuse to me." Hinata was silent. That confirmed his suspicions, but if she didn't say it directly, he couldn't do anything. Raising his voice, he addressed the entire class. "Thank you for waiting. The exams will continue. Mizuki and I will call you one by one to room B3 for your Ninjutsu exam. Choji, come with me." Iruka and Choji left the room. After they left, small conversations began to spring up, but every once in awhile, someone would glance over at Naruto.

Hinata sat there, feeling very guilty. She knew she had something to do with…whatever had happened. Her father had warned her about angering Naruto, and now she knew why. She'd been avoiding him because she didn't want him to blame himself for her injuries. But now she saw that he had blamed himself anyway.

Naruto's eyes shot open, and he grabbed his head. "Ahhh, my head. What happened?" He sat up. Every head turned towards him. "What?" He asked. Everyone immediately turned away. Everyone, except Hinata.

"Are you okay?"

"My head just hurts. What happened? All I remember is fighting Kadechi, and then…Oh god no. How bad was it?" Hinata blinked. He seemed to be aware of what had happened, even if he didn't have the memories.

"He'll live. You didn't hurt him too bad. But I want to know what happened." Naruto cringed, he really didn't want to talk about it. Not now, possibly not ever. So he did the next best thing. He changed the subject.

"Why were you avoiding me?"

Hinata looked away. "Yesterday, while you were being chased by the ANBU, my father found out I was with you…" Naruto's eyes widened. He already knew how bad the Hyuuga clan was.

"How bad was it? What did he do?"

"He called it 'familial training' but, it was more like everyone versus Hinata. But I'm fine now. More importantly, I need to know what happened. Don't change the subject."

Naruto sighed. "Look, Hinata. Your my best friend, but...I have a really big secret, and I promised Jiji that I wouldn't tell anyone about it, unless it was absolutely necessary. I'm not sure if I'm ever going to tell anyone. And, it's better if you don't know."

Hinata was silent. She just stared into his face, making Naruto feel really self-conscious. "You don't trust me." She finally said.

"No! That's not it! It's just...I can't tell you now. I promise that one day, I'll tell you, the entire truth. But today's not that day."

"You're going to tell me tomorrow, after we've been placed onto our teams. _Everything_.Got it?" She was making the scariest face. He knew that if he refused, he would pay, multiple times over.

"Okay, okay. Tomorrow. I promise." He sighed. Now he had to worry about this too. "Anyway, what happened to Kadechi?"

"You probably fractured some of his bones. He'll be fine though. And he deserved it."

"Yeah. He was a pervert."

"Says the guy who bought 50 dildos in one go."

"Hey! It was only 45! And I didn't do anything inappropriate!"

"Hinata Hyuuga."

"Huh?" They looked over, to see that most of the room was empty. They hadn't even seen people go to take their Ninjutsu test. Hinata stood, and made her way to the door.

"Good luck, Hinata-chan!" Hinata smiled.

"You too!" And she disappeared. Naruto decided to take the time to read about some of his dad's diary.

 _A ninja is loyal and obedient._

 _Today I learned an important lesson. Sometimes, a ninja will be forced to choose between saving a loved one, or the village. When given the choice, most choose to save their loved one. But as ninja, we are expected to protect the village at any cost. So what do we choose? It depends on the morality. Is the village in danger because of a loved one? Is the village not doing its job as a village. As Shinobi we must carefully weigh the consequences in an unbiased fashion. We-_

"Naruto Namikaze."

Naruto saw Iruka waiting for him. He stood, and walked down the aisle. "You feeling alright, Naruto?"

"Yeah. Sorry you had to see that Iruka-sensei."

"It's not your fault. He went too far. Anyway, are your ready for your Ninjutsu exam?"

"Of course." Iruka smiled. Inside the room Mizuki was already waiting, and their was a table of headbands. "Alright, Naruto." Iruka said once he was seated. "First, Henge." Naruto brought his hands together. In a puff of smoke, the Yondaime Hokage stepped into sight. "Good job. Kawarimi?" Again, Naruto brought his hands together. He was replaced with a log, and Naruto stood in the corner. "Very good. Bunshin?" Iruka crossed his fingers. He hoped Naruto would do it. In a quick succession of hand signs, Naruto used his Jutsu.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_

The room was filled with 20 copies of Naruto. One of them grinned at Iruka. "That's how I cleaned it all, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka was stunned, to clean up the entire mess in 10 minutes would have taken hundreds of clones. Containing his pride he said "I have to say, I'm very impressed. Shadow clones, at such a young age. I'm happy to tell you that you've passed." he handed him a headband.

"Naruto Namikaze. You are now a ninja of Konoha."

* * *

 **Please R &R. The more reviews I get, the more I want to write. The next chapter is already done, just waiting for edits.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hope you guys have a Merry Christmas!**

* * *

 _Naruto's POV_

"They let _it_ graduate?"

"What's wrong with them?"

"Now it's even stronger!"

These were the things he heard when he left the academy. Hinata hadn't even had time to see him before she was dragged away by a Hyuuga branch member. He sighed. He'd hoped the people would've respected him a little more, now that he was a ninja, but no.

" **They'll never respect you. Get rid of them."** The Kyuubi said.

" _No! I can't just kill all my problems. Why can't you just let go of all the anger? Don't take revenge. It's so easy!"_ Naruto said.

" **Why should I listen to you?"**

" _Because you're stuck with me, whether you like it or not! You might as well."_ The fox became very quiet. Naruto just sighed. Hinata has confronted him today. He didn't know how to tell her. ' _Oh wait! Jiji said I had to ask him before I told anybody!'_ Naruto realized. He made his way to the Hokage tower.

When he reached the tower, he passed the secretary without even looking. She would try to stop him anyway. He reached the door, pausing by the ANBU guards. They nodded, recognizing him. "He's talking to Iruka Umino, but I'm sure he'll see you." The opened the door.

"Jiji? I need to ask you something." He said. The Hokage glanced from his conversation. Iruka turned and smiled to Naruto. Naruto was fidgeting, jumping from left to right. He was really nervous.

"Well, now you know. Kadechi is fine. He won't have any serious injuries. However, his mother did complain about allowing...um...a certain child...to graduate." Iruka said, glancing at Naruto.

"Don't sugarcoat it. Just say it." Naruto was tired of everybody pretending he wasn't hated. Even Hinata tried to draw his attention away from the civilians.

"What do you need, Naruto?" The Hokage asked.

"Iruka-sensei can't be here for this. Sorry." He said, turning to Iruka. He just smiled and excused himself from the room.

"What is it."

"Hinata wants to know about the fox. She asked me after I beat Kadechi. I want to know if I should tell her about the fox and my parents." Naruto was confused. Hinata was his best friend. His only friend. She wouldn't be turned away. Right?

"The Hyuuga Heiress? Your friend, right?"

"Yeah, and she made me promise to tell her tomorrow."

"Well, if you've already promised, than you have to tell her. It's only fair."

"Are you sure? Do I really need to?" Naruto wrung his hands together. The Hokage motioned for Naruto to come around the desk.

"Naruto. Why are you nervous? You're never nervous." He said, grabbing Naruto's hand. He looked into Naruto's eyes, and he noticed an emotion he didn't usually see in Naruto. Fear.

"Jiji. Hinata is my only friend, and I don't know how she'll react if I tell her. I'm scared. I don't want to lose her." Naruto was shaking, staring at his hands. The Hokage knew exactly what to say.

"If she doesn't want to be your friend after learning about it, maybe she doesn't deserve you." Naruto jumped away.

"If anything I don't deserve her! She's perfect, and she'll never leave me!"

"See?" Naruto faltered. "And you make it sound like your married. Are you, dare I say, attracted to her?" The Hokage smiled.

Naruto froze, blushing at the thought. His eyes darted around the room before resting on the Hokage's robes. "You're a pervert, Jiji." The Hokage's smile melted.

"What do you mean?"

"I know that you have a limited edition of Ero-jisan's newest book, Icha Icha Paradise Island, hidden in your robes." Naruto stated. The Hokage blanched. ' _How does he know?'_ He was a very careful man.

"How do you know that?"

" _ **Oiroke no Jutsu!"**_ In a puff of smoke, a busty young woman stood in Naruto's place. Blood trickle from the Hokage's nose.

"Naruto!" Naruto smiled, and jumped out the window. The Hokage watched him run away.

"So the Hokage's a closet pervert? Never thought I'd here that." The Hokage turned to find his ANBU guards facing him. His face grew very hot, and he swore he could see their smiles through their masks.

Naruto ran home, mentally preparing himself for the conversation tomorrow. His clones greeted him when he reached the training ground. He nodded, and went inside his house.

He sat at his desk, and pulled out his father's diary. Opening it to a random page, he read.

 _Ninja are invisible soldiers_

 _I've heard that the village hidden in the rocks has updated their bingo books. I am a threat, and they're required to flee sight. I didn't want to kill so many, but now the war might end soon. I'm tired, and Kakashi, my only living student is tired. We've both had a hard time coping with Obito and Rin._

What? Who were they? Naruto turned the page.

 _The Hokage is a the leader of the Military Dictatorship_

 _I've been nominated Hokage, so has Orochimaru. I don't know how I compare to him. I know that being Hokage has been Kushina's dream, but now it may not be possible. Jiraiya-sensei is currently writing a book. He doesn't have any idea how he wants it to end though. I always told him to have a goal, but he never listens. He doesn't even know what he wants to do when he's older._

Naruto read well into the night, to the point where his clones ran out of chakra, and he had to take a moment to sift through their memories. As he meditated on their findings, an alarm went off in the house. Naruto jumped, he'd never heard that alarm before. Searching for it, he saw a glowing seal, reading _Break-in Alarm_. ' _Someone's trying to break in? What are they doing? Did the barrier stop them?'_ Naruto grabbed one of his fathers special kunai, sealed and ready for use.

He slowly crept to the edge of his territory, keeping an eye out for any intruders. Movement caught his eye, and he saw a body writhing on the ground. As he approached, the figure stood up, dusted himself, and grabbed a scroll he seemed to have been carrying. What stood out was his hair.

"Mizuki-sensei?" The figure flinched, before spinning around and throwing a kunai. Naruto's eyes widened as he noticed the explosive tags attached to it.

It exploded, just as Naruto jumped away. Shrapnel hit Naruto in the shoulder and hip. "What are you doing, Mizuki?" The honorific was gone. Naruto wasn't in the mood for any form of recognition.

"I guess I'll kill you, just to get rid of you!" Mizuki snarled, lunging at Naruto. Naruto side stepped, and hit Mizuki square in the solar plexus. Mizuki dropped, before flipping away. "How'd you hit me?!"

"With my fist! **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!** " 30 Naruto's appeared, all moving straight at Naruto. Mizuki, sensing defeat, fled. The Narutos took off after him.

"Naruto, You can't catch him, he's too fast!" Iruka said, after seeing the scene he arrived to. Mizuki was definitely outrunning the clones, even though Naruto was faster than ANBU.

Naruto concentrated his chakra onto the seal, before throwing the kunai as hard as he could at Mizuki. Mizuki dodged, but as soon as it passed he was blinded by a flash of yellow, and struck face first with what felt like an iron ball. He was out cold.

Naruto winced, a _Hiraishin, Rasengan_ combo hurt his chakra nodes. "Alright, what's this?" He said, reaching down for the scroll. He opened it.

 _Kage Bunshin_

' _Nope, already learned that one.'_

 _Eight Gates Release_

 _Hand Signs: N/A_

 _Use:The Eight Gates are limits on the body's chakra output. Releasing Gates increases the chakra output and strength of the body, but at a considerable cost. If one were to open all eight Gates, they would die. Extensive Taijutsu training will enable a person to open the Gates._

' _You would die? Unless the chakra output is really big, why would you do that? How much chakra output is there?'_ He kept reading

 _For every gate released, their is a 10 times increase in chakra output, a 2 times increase in strength and a 5 times increase in speed. This increase is exponential. The second gate is 10 times stronger than the first, which is 10 times stronger than base._

' _Holy shit! That's a lot!'_ Suddenly, the scroll was snatched from his hands. He looked up, Iruka did not look happy.

"Your not supposed to read the scroll! It's forbidden!"

"It is?" Iruka face palmed.

"Read the title before you read the rest!" He screamed. "You're lucky I'm not your Sensei anymore. Just give it to me." He said, holding out his hand. Naruto gave him the scroll, and walked over to Mizuki.

" _ **Five Elements Seal!"**_ Naruto said, bringing his hands to Mizuki's Solar Plexus. Mizuki shuddered, and then lay still.

"What did you do to him?" Iruka asked

"I suppressed his chakra flow. He won't be doing any Jutsu now." Iruka's Head was spinning. Naruto, the dead last of the class, was doing high level Jutsu as if they were easy. Of course, he wasn't supposed to be dead last, but he was practically the best student to ever exist at the academy. Hiraishin, Rasengan, Elements Seal, Kage Bunshin. Even the Yondaime Hokage hadn't known such high level Jutsu.

Naruto picked Mizuki up, with surprising ease, tossed him over his shoulder, and they set off to the Hokage tower.

 _ **Time skip: 9 hours**_

That morning, Naruto woke up in a cold sweat. He'd dreamed about telling Hinata, and in his dream it had gone poorly. No matter how many times he told himself that Hinata wasn't going to be scared of him, the Fox always instilled doubt into his mind.

"Fuck you." he said out loud. He looked at his alarm clock. 9:53. ' _Oh shit. Class starts at 10!'_ He dressed in an outfit he'd chosen a while ago. He wore a black with dark orange accented shirt over his normal black t-shirt. His pants were black too, with a single orange stripe down the sides. He tied his headband to his forehead, and after a moment of consideration, the cloak his dad had made for him. ' _Naruto Namikaze'._ 9:56.

Naruto bolted out the door, not even taking the time to lock it. The barrier would protect it. He jumped through the trees, taking the fastest way to the academy. ' _I need to be there on time!'_ He landed on the street just outside of the door. He painted a bit, before hearing a rumble coming from behind him. Glancing back, he saw a dust cloud approaching fast. Then he saw their hair. Pink and Blonde. ' _Shit.'_

He reached the classroom as fast as he could. Ripping open the door he said "Sakura and Ino! Take cover!" before heroically running up the wall to escape to the ceiling. Everybody scrambled to get under a desk. Even Sasuke.

The ground began to shake, as if it were being torn apart. A low moan could be heard, as wood cracked and strained against the two forces of nature. The doorway rattled as they approached. The door flew back, slamming into the opposite wall.

"Get out the way, Sakura!"

"Get your pig-ass out _my_ way, Ino-pig!"

"Forehead!"

"Ino-pig!"

"BILLBOARD BROW!"

"PIGGY!"

They crashed through the doorway, both of them landing face first on the ground. The entire class cringed, watching the two struggle to stand. Sasuke peeked out over his desk. "Sasuke!" They cried. They leaped across the room. He ducked and they sailed over his head into the desk behind him. "Fuck! We missed him!"

"You mean you missed him, Ino-pig!" They dissolved into another round of insults. The rest of the class tried to tune them out. Hinata looked around. She'd sworn she'd seen a flash of yellow when they were warned about a Ino and Sakura, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Naruto?" She asked aloud. Kiba turned to see her looking around. He eyed her, as if she was a piece of candy. She had developed nicely, and she wore it proudly. She only wore it for one person though. But Kiba didn't know that. Being the mutt he was, he assumed she just wanted to be ravaged.

"He probably didn't graduate. I mean, he was the dead last! And he did beat up Kadechi. Really badly. There's practically no way he graduated." Kiba smirked. "Why don't you hang with me instead. I can be just as fun, if you know what I m-*smack*" Naruto dropped down from the ceiling, decking Kiba in the jaw on the way. Kiba went crashing backwards, into the wall. Akamaru stood protectively in front of Kiba, but Naruto just pet him. He wagged his tail.

"I think we need to get this mutt neutered Hinata-chan." She nodded.

"You can't do that to Akamaru!" Kiba cried.

"We weren't talking about him." Naruto said with a glare at Kiba. He could feel everybody's eyes on him. Kiba instinctively held his hand over his crotch. Naruto turned away. "Hey Hinata-chan. What'd your dad say?

"He didn't do anything. Just said "as expected of a Hyuuga", and walked away. "Sometimes I wish he'd be a normal father."

"Yeah, well, he's an asshole. You have me to say it anyway! Good job, Hinata. I'm proud of you." He said, holding Hinata by the shoulder, like a father would. She giggled, he would be a great father when he grew up.

"Nice clothes." She said, gesturing to his cloak.

"Class, listen up!" Iruka said as he entered the room. "Mizuki is absent for…undisclosed reasons, so I'll be talking to you guys now! Congratulations on becoming Genin. This is an important step in your lives. As Genin you will-" Naruto tunes the rest out. He knew how long Iruka liked to talk. Instead he planned out how he would tell Hinata. He started sweating again. Now that the moment was closer, it was more nerve-wracking.

"I hope we're on the same team, Naruto-kun" Naruto glanced up to see Hinata looking at him.

"We probably will. I'm dead last and you're top Kunoichi. It'll probably be, you, me, and...Sasuke the Arrogant Asshole.

"That's not nice." She chided.

"Just cause its not nice doesn't mean it's not true." Naruto shrugged. They fell into silence once again. Naruto started daydreaming. His eyes were full with Ramen, a vacant expression on his face. Hinata sighed. He'd always be like that.

"Now then, with the formalities our the way, I'm going to announce the team names! Team 1! Ami Huta…" Iruka began listing of the names of the teams, and their Jounin Sensei. "Team 7! Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuuga, and Naruto Namikaze! Your Jounin Sensei will be Kakashi Hatake!" Naruto froze, just about to jump and celebrate. Kakashi has been a name in his dad's book. If he was their Sensei, he had been in Konoha for a while, and he should have checked up on him! Hinata, in a flash of confidence, was about to hug Naruto, but she noticed his facial expression. He was frozen, trying to process information. Kakashi Hatake. If he was the same Kakashi, with the mask and all, where had he been for the last 12 years?

"Are you alright." Naruto turned. Hinata was staring at him, worried.

"Yeah. I'm glad we're on the same team." Naruto said absentmindedly. ' _I swear if he doesn't have a good reason for checking on me I'll break him. Alright, calm down. Maybe he didn't know. Or dad was right and Kakashi couldn't take the emotional pain. Yeah…'_ as Naruto has a mental battle, Hinata watched him. He seems to be really torn about something.

"Team 8! Sakura Haruno, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame! Your Jounin Sensei will be Kurenai Yuhi!

Team 9 is still in commission. Team 10! Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka!" Both Sakura and Ino looked pained at the thought of being in a mostly boys team. Especially without their 'true love' Sasuke. "You have an hour for lunch! Then you will meet your Jounin Sensei here!" Iruka dismisses then, before leaving the room. People slowly filed out, going to eat with their new teammates. Naruto and Hinata approached Sasuke.

"Hey. You're our teammate now. Want to have lunch?" Naruto asked. Sasuke glanced at him, before turning away. "You could give a verbal answer Teme." Naruto scolded. Hinata looked between them.

"I don't think he wants to, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, trying to pull him away, but he wouldn't budge.

"Tch." Sasuke didn't respond.

"Not until he says so."

"How did you come from the ceiling Dobe?" Sasuke asked. Naruto froze. He hadn't expected anything to come out of the Uchiha's mouth.

"I walked up it." Naruto said.

"Impossible. How did a Dobe do it before I did?" Sasuke scoffed.

"Because the civilian council didn't give me whatever I wanted. I had to train by myself, for myself, to survive. Not that you'd understand Teme." Sasuke stood up, they were so close you could see the sparks in their eyes. Hinata tried one more time to stop them, but they didn't pay her any attention.

"It's not my fault the civilians like an Uchiha more than a Dobe."

"It's not, but that gives you no right to treat me like crap."

"I'm an Uchiha."

"And?"

"You will respect me."

"I only respect people who deserve it."

"The Uchiha are elite! You will respect me!"

"Not until you admit we're alike."

"You're the poorest of the poor. I'm an Uchiha. What similarities are there?"

"We both have no parents. I don't have any kind of family. Even Hinata has family problems. This entire team has familial issues."

"We're your parents ripped away from you, by your own brother?" If you looked closely, you could see tears in his eyes.

"Were you hated by the villagers for something you had no control over."

"My life is harder than yours Dobe."

"Have you ever been tortured to the point where you wished you were dead? No? Well then, until that happens our lives have equally sad." Naruto was shaking. For some reason, he felt the need to prove himself to Sasuke. Sasuke stood still, reflecting on his own life. If what Naruto said was true, had his own life really been that bad?

"What do you mean Dobe?"

"For most of my life the civilians have been out to kill me. I trained myself so I could survive."

"What did you do to Kadechi?"

"I kicked his ass."

"How'd you get so powerful?"

"I was mad. He said some things that he shouldn't have. But I did it for Hinata." He said, glancing over. She blushed, but only a little. "I train to protect, not kill. That's why I'm stronger than you." He said, trusting a finger into Sasuke's chest. Sasuke looked away, before reluctantly turning away and sitting down.

"You can eat lunch with me." Was all Sasuke said. Naruto raised his eyebrows. Sasuke was brooding again, but he seemed very unsure of himself. His eyes were darting around the room, confusion etched on his face.

Anyone who had paid any attention knew who had killed all the Uchiha. Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's older brother.

Hinata and Naruto sat down on Sasuke's left. They both eyes him as they ate, but slowly they dropped their guard. "Alright, So." Naruto started. "Anybody know anything about our Sensei?" Surprisingly, Sasuke was the one to speak up.

"The civilian council has told me about him to me. Apparently he's always really late, but he's also one of the strongest ninja we have." Naruto and Hinata we're sure how to react to Sasuke. Just 5 minutes ago, he had been brooding in the corner. Now he was talking freely!

"We'll see how late he really is. If he's always late like that; he'd better be prepared when I prank him!" His teammates stared at him.

Two hours later and their Sensei still wasn't there. All the other teams had gotten picked up, but Kakashi didn't show.

"Ugh…" Naruto groaned. Hinata and Sasuke felt the same. The were bored. Even Naruto has quieted after the first hour.

"Naruto-kun...why don't you tell me now." Hinata said.

"Tell you what?" Sasuke asked. Naruto cringed.

"Not with Sasuke here." He turned to Sasuke. "No offense, but I don't trust you enough." Sasuke was silent.

"If I tell you what happened to my family, you'll tell me what happened to your family. Both of you." Naruto looked at Hinata, and she met his eyes. Sasuke started talking again. "We'll all share our biggest secret. I'll go first."

"Wait Teme! I can't just tell you!" Sasuke didn't listen.

"One day, while I was on my way home, I noticed how silent the compound was. I saw a figure on top of the pole, but he disappeared. I went into my house and my b-brother, Itachi, stabbed my Mother and Father in front of me. After that he tortured me, I was stuck in this illusion wher he killed them…over and over…and I woke up as the last Uchiha." He was practically crying. Naruto and Hinata pretended not to notice.

Hinata was silent. She'd always wondered exactly what had happened to the Uchiha, and now she knew Naruto however, was thinking hard.

"Did your brother say why he did it. Why he killed them all." Sasuke trembled, as if he was reliving that night.

"He said it was to test his own limits. He had a sharingan that was different from anything I'd ever seen."

' _That doesn't make any sense. He must have had another reason. Think, Naruto. You're the best spy in the world. Anything about the Uchiha.'_ His mind replayed a very specific memory. "What mask did he have as an ANBU?"

Sasuke paused. "I think it was as a weasel." Naruto's eyes widened.

"Danzo! Just wait till I tell Jiji! He'll be sorry for ever messing with the Uchiha!"

"W-what are you talking about Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked. He seemed pretty angry.

"Danzo! He's an advisor to Jiji! He's the guy with the bandages arm."

"What about him Dobe?" Sasuke asked, his coping mechanisms taking effect.

"He was talking to an ANBU in a weasel mask about the annihilation of the Uchiha. He was the one who planned it." Sasuke jumped up.

"The entirety of Konoha was in on it. I'll kill them!" He tried to leave, but Naruto stopped him.

"Sasuke! You know that Jiji wouldn't let people die. I've talked to him before, and Danzo is one of the most untrustworthy advisors. And Jiji can't fire him because he has too much power. Don't blame Jiji! We'll all go together, and ask about what Jiji knows." Sasuke stopped struggling.

"You'd better." Was all he said before sitting down. Hinata looked at them.

"I guess I'll go next. I probably have the least sad story here. Um…I'm weaker than a Hyuuga should be, and I want the main and branch families to be united. My family doesn't like that, so...I am beat as often as possible. They threaten to seal me, and generally act like I'm their servant." Sasuke considered her words. Compared to her, Naruto and his own tragic family story was much worse, but a family shouldn't treat one another like that. He turned to Naruto.

"What happened to you? Why do the villagers hate you that much?"

"And what happened to you with Kadechi?" Naruto just stared at his own lap for awhile.

"The reason for both of your questions are the same. The villagers hate me because of the thing that beat Kadechi."

"What do you mean Dobe?"

"You can't tell anybody what I tell you right now. Neither of your stories have a law behind them. Mine does. S-class secret. High priority. Punishment of Death."

"N-Nani?!" Hinata said. "How come you can tell us then?"

"Cause it's about me. I can say whatever the fuck I want." Neither of them commented on his choice of language. "Anyway, you guys sure you want to hear it?"

"Of course, Naruto-kun."

"Why not, Dobe."

"Fine." He was silent. They waited, hoping he would speak before their Sensei showed up. "I'll tell you about my parents first. They're still dead." He said, to the look on their faces. "I just know who they are. My mom was Kushina Uzumaki. I know that she was friends with both of your moms." They looked at each other. "I read it in my dad's diary. My dad was a very famous ninja. I have his last name."

"Namikaze...Holy Shit!" Sasuke practically screamed. Hinata followed suit a few seconds later. Naruto covered his sensitive ears. The fox did that too.

"Jeez. Be quiet."

"You're the son of the Yondaime Hokage! How are we supposed to be quiet Dobe?!"

"S-class secret!"

"I always wondered why the Hokage gave you such a big house. It was your parent's, wasn't it?" Hinata said.

"Yeah…"

"But that doesn't explain why the villagers hate him. If anything, he'd be treated better than I was." Sasuke pointed out.

"There's a second part. The Yondaime defeated the Kyuubi, right? That's all they said."

"And?"

"You can't just kill a Bijuu! They're made of chakra. The Kyuubi would just reincarnate and attack again. He had to seal it inside something."

"But sealing something that powerful would take a self sacrifice, and a living container. And the Yondaime did that...oh _god_...that's horrible Naruto-kun!" Hinata was hysterical

"What?" Sasuke asked. He didn't really understand.

"If he's the Yondaime's son, and the village hates him, and he almost killed everybody yesterday. Who do you think the Kyuubi was sealed inside of?!"

"...oh... _oh!_ "

"Yeah...that's why people try to kill me."

"But if they kill you, what happens to the Bijuu?"

"Pretty sure He reincarnates in a few years. At least, that's what he said."

"Y-you t-talk to It?!" Hinata shrieked.

"Um...he kinda tells me to kill people everyday…" Naruto trailed off.

"So that's why you're so strong. Without the fox you wouldn't be nearly as strong, would you?"

"Actually, Teme, If I didn't have the fox I'd probably still have parents. And if my dad was still Hokage he might have been able to stop the Uchiha Massacre. Everybody's lives would be better if the Fox didn't attack."

"That didn't answer my question."

"Ugh. Look. The fox likes to kill people. The first time I used its power, it was the Kyuubi festival when those people tied me to a stake." Hinata stiffened. "Jiji told me that night. The seal that keeps it inside me is weaker than it's supposed to be. If I get mad, at all, the Kyuubi starts to take over. That's why I did those things to Kadechi. I wasn't in control."

"But you didn't kill me!"

"I can still wrestle control away, it's just really, _really_ hard."

"How many times have you used its power?" Sasuke asked.

"Twice. I hate it. It ruined my entire life."

"Dobe...how are you so strong!"

"I trained with my dads scrolls. The Rasengan, The Jutsu I demonstrated for you guys, was his. He never finished though."

"But I train with Uchiha scrolls. Why am I not as strong as you?!"

"Because your only goal in life is to kill your brother! I have long term goals to reach. I want the civilians to respect me! Then I'll become Hokage! Then I'll make sure we never have a Ninja War again! What'll you do after Itachi's dead? What if he dies before you kill him! How do you know it's even his fault?!"

"He killed my family!"

"And Dad has to kill hundreds of Iwa Shinobi. He hated it, all the killing, but he did it to stop the war."

"..."

"Don't train just to kill. For all we know, the Uchiha we're doing something Danzo didn't like, and he forced Itachi to do it. You don't know everything."

"..."

"I'm strong because I have people to protect. Hinata. She's my only friend. The only person who cares about me. I won't let her get hurt." Hinata really started blushing. Naruto thought that much of her?

"Than what do I do?"

"Be our friend. We already know about everyone's familial problems."

"...I can't believe I'm taking advice from the class Dobe."

"Teme."

"Guys, you need to stop fighting."

"You're right Hinata-chan. I say that the first thing we do as friends is prank Kakashi-sensei for being so late! Let's go!

 _ **Time Skip: 40 Minutes**_

Kakashi walked down the hallway. He hoped his new team wouldn't be mad for being so late. He'd read up on them. Hinata Hyuuga, great grades and great Taijutsu, though Ninjutsu and Genjutsu could be improved. Sasuke Uchiha, prodigy, almost perfect scores on everything. Naruto Namikaze, his Sensei's son. Kakashi readied himself. He was finally facing the past. Naruto had bad grades, barely hit the targets, and was mediocre at Taijutsu. The only notable thing in his file was a destructive Jutsu he demonstrated, and Kage Bunshin. In the corner written by his main teacher Iruka Umino, it read ' _as the Jinchuuriki, teachers have attempted, multiple times, to sabotage his learning, his grades and stats should not be taken seriously. He is by far, the best student I've ever had.'_ Kakashi didn't know what to make of that tidbit of info. Either his team would be overbalanced, or cocky.

He opened the door, and felt something land on his head, before falling to the floor. He picked it up, it appeared be an eraser. He knew who would have the guts to prank a Jounin. He looked up, searching for them, before he found them at their desks, not moving. He walked over to the blonde one, almost retching at the horrible smell coming from the kid. The closer he got, the worse it was.

Tentatively, he nudged Naruto. Instead of waking up, he slumped to the floor. Kakashi got closer inspecting the body. It was frail and thin, as if it had starved to death. As if _he_ had starved to death. "The hell…" Kakashi said out loud. As soon as he said that, 'Naruto' exploded into smoke, filling Kakashi's lungs. He coughed, trying to comprehend what had happened. Suddenly, he was pelted with something from all sides. He noticed the horrible smell coming from the balls. Stink bombs.

"Haha, some Jounin you are!" Naruto said. Kakashi stood in the center of the classroom. He was covered in the remains of stink bombs, feathers, and honey. His hair drooped, his entire body felt heavy.

"Why?" He asked, pathetically.

"You were late! 3 hours! At least be close to on time!" Naruto said. The others nodded. He noticed that they all seemed to work together. He was proud of that, even if it was for a very complex prank.

"You know what, since you all took part of this little _prank_ , you won't introduce yourselves. Show up at training ground 3, at 6 o'clock. Don't eat." He disappeared, leaving feathers laying around. Team 7 turned to each other.

"Do we even need to introduce ourselves to each other?" Naruto asked.

"No, I don't think so."

"You know, that was actually fun, Dobe."

"Alright, Teme. I promised to take you to the Hokage. Let's go!" Team 7 ran to the Hokage's tower.

At the tower, Sasuke stealed himself. Looking at what he knew, and what made sense, he saw that he barely knew anything about what happened.

"Uchiha-sama and Hyuuga-sama can go. Not you."

"Alright, Look lady. I know you have some prejudices against me, but I just want to see the Hokage."

"I won't let you kill him."

"Why would I?"

"You're a demon. You would kill the first chance you get."

"We have this conversation every time. I have never once hurt anybody here."

"No, You're biding your time, getting stronger."

"You're an idiot. I'm a ninja!" He said, pointing to his forehead protector. "I have the right to see the Hokage!"

"You're no ninja, you monster!" Naruto sighed. He obviously wouldn't be getting anywhere.

"Come on guys." He said, and walked past the desk.

"I'll call security!" The secretary said. Naruto ignored her. Team 7 made their way to the Hokage's office without interruption.

"Jiji!" Naruto said, ripping the door open. "What happened to the Uchiha?!"

"They were killed by Itachi. Why do you ask?" The Hokage quickly hid a small orange book away. Naruto smiled.

"No, we want to know why." Naruto said, and Sasuke and Hinata walked in behind him. The Hokage considered what he should do. He couldn't just tell an S-class secret, but he couldn't just say nothing, Naruto wouldn't leave until he got what he came for.

"Jiji?" They stood impatiently, waiting for him to say something.

"All I can tell you is that Itachi was ordered to kill the Uchiha without my knowledge, and he told me after the deed was done. He had mission papers and everything. I sent him away, to protect him. He's labeled as an S-class missing-ninja. Kill on sight."

"Where is he now?" Sasuke slimmed his hands into the desk.

"He works as a spy. I won't tell you where he is. Not until you're Chunin. I'm sorry Sasuke." Sasuke slumped over. Where was his brother? Why was he told to kill them?"

"I think I know who ordered it. Itachi wore a weasel mask as an ANBU and I remember one of your advisor's, Danzo, told him to. I don't know why." The Hokage considered Naruto's words. It certainly made sense. Danzo had always hated the Uchiha.

"I'll looks into it, Naruto. Now then, how do you like your Jounin Sensei?"

"Hokage-sama?" Hinata asked. She'd been very quiet lately. "Why were we assigned Kakashi-sensei. He hardly seems capable, he was 3 hours late." The Hokage chuckled. Kakashi never changed.

"He is a very powerful Shinobi. He has thousands of Jutsu in his hands." Team 7's eyes widened. How could someone remember thousands of Jutsu?! "I understand that he wants you to be at training ground 3 tomorrow?" The Hokage asked. Team 7 nodded. "I happen to know that he tests his teams, and if they fail, they're sent back to the academy. So far, no team had passed." Team 7 was shocked. He'd never passed someone?! "I would train as much as possible. Now shoo! I have important business to deal with." The Hokage shooed them out the price, before taking out an orange book. ' _Oh Huine, Stop it!'_ He giggled.

Outside the Hokage's tower, Naruto and Sasuke were arguing. "We should train at my place Dobe! I have all the scrolls!"

"Most of the Uchiha compound is buildings! I have a massive field, an you wouldn't have to worry about fangirls with the barrier around it!"

"Really?"

"Yeah." Sasuke was elated. He knew that as soon as he stepped outside, fangirls stalked him wherever he went.

"Let's go to your place." They followed Naruto into the woods. Sasuke heard rustling behind them. "Let's move a bit faster. Please." He pleaded.

Naruto turned around, fast enough to see a flash of pink in a nearby bush. "Alright let's go!" They sped up, and reached the gate in no time.

"Where's the barrier?" Sasuke asked, eyeing an oddly light shaded bush. Naruto smiled.

"You'll see." He stepped up to the gate, which swing open. Hinata followed, and Sasuke practically ran inside. As soon as Naruto clawed the gate, Sakura and Ino ran right into it.

"Ow! Open the gate Naruto-Baka!" Sakura screeched.

"We just want to see Sasuke!" Ino cried. Team 7 backed away from the gate, which they were trying to force open. They hadn't realized that there was no fence or anything around the field.

"Let's start training. So what are we doing, a spar, competition?" Naruto asked, ignoring the banshees.

"Spar. Taijutsu only."

"Hinata? Would you be the ref please?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun." She stepped back. "Ready?" They both nodded. "Begin!"

Sasuke launches himself at Naruto, aiming a punch in the chest. Naruto dodged, But was immediately kneed in the stomach. Sasuke smiled. At least they were equal. "Yeah, Sasuke! Kick that Baka's ass!" Sakura and Ino screeched. Sasuke looked at them, and missed when Naruto got up and firmly planted a punch in his ribs. Sasuke collapsed, holding his rib. Naruto was very strong for his age, and fast. "He hit Sasuke! That cheater! Get him!" Sakura and Ino tried to charge at them, but suddenly were suspended in the air as electricity raced through their bodies. They tried to push through, but the harder they tried, the more painful it was. They backed off. Obviously they wouldn't be getting through that way. "How dare you hit Sasuke-kun, Naruto-Baka!" He ignored them.

Sasuke slowly got up. "Ugh. When will they leave?"

"I don't know man." He looked over. Sakura was whispering something to Ino. Then they disappeared into the woods. "Oh...they're gone."

"Yes! Finally! Haha!" Sasuke did a little dance. Naruto and Hinata shared a look. Sasuke was very different when he wasn't brooding.

They spared for 10 minutes in which Naruto hit Sasuke 15 times, while Sasuke hit Naruto 13 times. "Haha, Teme. I win."

"Tch."

"Who next. Hinata, who do you want to spar?"

"Um...I've fought you multiple times, Naruto, so I think I'll take Sasuke." She said.

"Hinata, no Juuken." He said. She stuck out her tongue. He sighed. "Whatever you do, don't let her hit you." He said, dead serious. "Ready?" He asked. Hinata nodded, Sasuke just held up his hands. "Begin!"

They started. Naruto stopped paying attention really. Sasuke was actually a really nice person when he wasn't brooding. The death of his family had ruined him.

"Naruto Namikaze! You are required in the council now for charges against Sasuke Uchiha!" Outside the gate, there were six ANBU waiting.

"What?!" Hinata and Sasuke stopped fighting, overhearing the accusation.

"Charges against me? What did he do?" He asked Hinata. She shrugged.

"Look guys, the civilian council has tried to exile me since I joined the academy. This is another bogus claim. Just stay here. I'll be back." He turned away, walking to the gate. Sasuke and Hinata joined them.

"Dobe. We're not letting you go without us. If it's about me, I need to be there." Sasuke said when he got a look from Naruto.

"I won't let them exile you Naruto. I'll be there too." Hinata said.

"Guys, It-"

"We're going, Naruto." Hinata was making the face again. He sighed. Altogether, they went with the ANBU.

The trip was quiet, but on the inside, Hinata was fuming. How dare they try to exile Naruto. He'd done nothing wrong. ' _I'll kill them!'_ Naruto and Sasuke were oblivious to the Hyuuga's thoughts.

"All of you, inside." The ANBU ordered. They opened the door to the council chambers. The civilian council was on the right, while the clan heads were on the left. Hiashi Hyuuga narrowed his eyes when Hinata entered the room. Hinata shrank into her coat. The entire civilian side had a look of glee on their faces, especially Haruno.

"What's this about?" Naruto asked.

"You will address us with respect, _boy_! What are you doing here Uchiha-sama?" One of the civilians asked politely.

"The ANBU said the offenses were charged against me?"

"Yes, Uchiha-sama. And what is Hyuuga-sama doing here."

"We are part of Team 7. She comes with us."

"Quiet, _boy_! You have no right to speak to us!" The Hokage raises his hands, and the room quieted.

"Both Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuuga are allowed to stay for this meeting." The council nodded. "Now then, what are the charges?" Haruno stood up.

"The charges are, assault and attempted murder." Team 7 looked at each other. How were those the charges?

"And do you have any witnesses?" The Hokage sighed on the inside, this would be another stupid meeting.

"My daughter, Sakura Haruno."

"Is she here?"

"Yes. She is waiting outside."

"Bring her in." An ANBU opened the door, and Sakura stepped through. You could see the stars in her eyes when she spotted Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" She sprinted for the front of the room, and launched herself at Sasuke, but before she could touch him, she was pulled back by her forehead protected. Naruto held her back.

"Unhand my daughter, you monster!" Haruno screamed, injuring everybody's ears. Sasuke and Naruto just smiled at each other. Brotherly bonding always started with keeping fangirls away.

"Nice job, Dobe." Sasuke laughed.

"Teme." Naruto stuck out his tongue. The boys bumped fist. The Hokage watched with interest. Apparently, his team placement had been correct.

"Let me go, Naruto-Baka!" She tried to hit him, but he blocked and threw her towards her mother.

"He tried to kill my daughter too! Hokage! You must do something!" Haruno shouted. Many of the civilians were nodding.

"Calm down, calm down." Sarutobi said. "Naruto did no such thing. Haruno, your daughter is fine. All Naruto did was hold her away from Sasuke." Haruno opened her mouth. "Quiet. We are here to discuss the charges against the accused. Sakura, state what you saw, and please, control your body."

Sakura glared at the Hokage, as if he was keeping her away from her 'beloved'. "Ino and I were stalking Sasuke after he left with Hinata and Naruto-Baka. Naruto opened some kind of gate, and when we tried to follow, the gate closed on our faces. Naruto-Baka wouldn't let us pass. Then Sasuke punched him, and Naruto-Baka hit him back. We tried to stop him, but there was a barrier that kept tasing us. Then I told my mom what happened." She smiled. She thought she would be praised, and then she could be alone with Sasuke.

The Hokage sighed. "Sakura, you are charged with attempted break-in of a ninja's property. You will be required to pay a fine."

"WHAT!" Haruno shrieked. "WHY?!" Sakura was gaping, like a fish.

"Sakura Haruno attempted to break into Naruto's property." Haruno fumed, But there was nothing she could do. "Anyway, how do you plead against the allegations Naruto?"

"Not guilty."

"How can he not be guilty?!"

"Haruno just testified against you!"

"SILENCE!" The Hokage stood up. He was already tired of the meeting and it wasn't close to done yet. "Naruto has the right to defend himself." The council grudgingly let Naruto speak.

"We were sparring." Was all Naruto said, with a nod of confirmation from Sasuke.

"Why would Uchiha-sama spar with _you_?!" Another council member asked.

"Because we're both part of Team 7, and wanted to prepare for Kakashi-Sensei's test." The Hokage nodded.

"Sasuke, is this true?" Sasuke nodded.

"Yes." He faces the council. "Why do you keep attacking Naruto?! It's not his fault the fox is inside him!" The Hokage cringed. He knew that Sasuke knew, but now the council knew too.

"Uchiha-sama, where did you hear that?" A civilian asked.

"Naruto told me." Haruno jumped up.

"He told an S-class secret to somebody who didn't know! The punishment for that is execution!" Haruno laughed. She'd found a way to get rid of it.

"If the secret pertains to a certain someone, that certain someone can tell whoever he wants. You should know that, _Haruno_." The Hokage said. The clan heads raised their eyebrows. It sounded like Haruno had secrets of her own. She sat down, chagrined. "If that is all, this meeting is adjourned."

"The demon has obviously possessed the Uchiha! You can not let him go free! Hokage!" The Hokage ignored him. Naruto turned to leave. "Stop! You will stay until we say so!"

"No. The Hokage said to leave. I'm not a civilian. Goodbye." Naruto said without turning. Team 7 left the building as fast as possible.

"That's horrible, Naruto-kun. How many times does that happen?" Hinata asked.

"This is at least the 70th time. Every single time I do something that's could be interpreted as a crime, they try to get rid of me." He sighed. "It's old."

"Dobe. How can you deal with that?"

"Lots of practice." He looked to Hinata. "Do you think your dad will do anything? You were seen with me again." She thought for a moment.

"I doubt it. We're teammates. To hit me every time I was seen with you would be shameful. But I should be going. I'll see you guys." She waved to them, before heading for the Hyuuga compound. Sasuke turned to Naruto.

"Kakashi-Sensei wants us there early. I'm going home. Thanks for opening my eyes, Dobe." Naruto smiled.

"Teme." Sasuke waved, heading to the Uchiha compound. Naruto made his way home. ' _Sasuke's actually really nice. I hope we pass Kakashi-Sensei's test. And then I'll ask where he's bin.'_ At home, Naruto prepared for the next day. A quick dinner, a shower, and straight to bed.

The next morning, Naruto woke up at 5:30. ' _Jeez I'm hungry. Should I eat? Kakashi-Sensei said I shouldn't. Um...I'm gonna eat anyway!'_ Naruto made himself a toast. Recalling Jiji's words about Kakashi, he decided that he would visit his parents.

As he approached the graveyard, he spotted Kakashi standing in front of the headstone meant for the deaths in the Third Ninja War. He walked to him. "Sensei?"

"Hello Naruto." Kakashi said, still staring at the headstone.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing…"

"Are you thinking about Rin and Obito?" Kakashi flinched, before turning.

"How'd you know?"

"I read dad's diary." Kakashi sighed.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I should have taken care of you. I was a horrible student, too cocky for my own good." Kakashi turned back to the stone. "I hope you can forgive me."

"I understand. Is this where you are everyday?"

"It's why I'm always late. I stand here for hours, thinking about how stupid I was, and how I could have saved them." Kakashi slumped. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the training grounds."

"I knew you'd be late, so I came to visit my parents." Naruto stood next to Kakashi. "Can you tell me about Obito?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows.

"Why?"

"Dad didn't write about him much."

"Obito was an idiot. As an Uchiha you would think he'd be stoic, but he was loud and brash. I hated him. He annoyed me. And he was the dead last. Kinda like you." Naruto smiled. "Actually, Sasuke reminds me of myself. I was a brooder."

"I actually got through to him. His family's death changed him. On the inside he's just like me."

"Oh really? Then you're already better than we were. Anyway, I hated him at first, but he grew on me. In the war, I lost my left eye, on my birthday. Great gift." Naruto eyed him. "Later, Obito got crushed by some boulders, and as his dying wish, he gave me his sharingan." Kakashi said, gesturing to the eye under the forehead protector.

"I'm guessing the Uchiha didn't like that?"

"They tried to force me to give it back. I didn't. It's the only thing I have left."

"What about Rin?"

"Rin...Rin was always a problem for me and Obito. She had a crush on me, but Obito had a crush on her. Obito made me promise to protect her, but she was turned into the Jinchuuriki of the 3 tails. She asked me to kill her, but I refused. Then I tried to kill an enemy ninja, but she got in the way, and died. I couldn't protect her. I failed Obito, then Rin, and Minato-Sensei. I'm a failure." Naruto said nothing, staring at the headstone.

"I think that if you told Sasuke about Obito, he would feel better, knowing that the Uchiha were heroes. He's confused, doesn't know what to think about his brother." Kakashi said nothing, and Naruto moved to a headstone on the edge of the clearing.

 _Minato Namikaze Yondaime Hokage Yellow Flash_

 _Kushina Uzumaki Red Death_

"Hey Mom, Dad." He said. He stared at the headstone, he didn't know how much time had passed. All he knew was that he wished they were here with him.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Kakashi was behind him, holding bento boxes. The sun was above their heads. At least 9 o'clock. "It's time to go, Naruto." Naruto nodded, and walked with Kakashi to the training ground.

Sasuke and Hinata we're leaning against two of the three training posts. "Naruto! Where were you?!" Hinata asked.

"I was visiting my parents." Hinata froze for a moment.

"Oh."

"Alright. I've set a timer for noon. You have until then to get these bells from me." Kakashi held up two bells. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"There are only two bells and three of us." He said.

"Glad you noticed. The person who doesn't get a bell will be tied to a post and won't get any lunch." He held up the bento boxes. Sasuke and Hinata's stomachs growled. Sasuke turned away while Hinata blushed. "And after that, they'll be sent back to the academy."

"..."

"Remedial classes."

"WHAT!" Team 7 screamed. We'd better get a bell, they all thought.

"Ready?" Kakashi smiled. "Begin!" All three of them jumped in different directions. "Well, at least they know stealth."

Sasuke his in a bush nearby. He needed to graduate. He had to become a Chunin as fast as possible, so that The Hokage would tell him about his Itachi. He considered his options, either attack now, hopefully stopping Kakashi, or sneak up and grab a bell. But Kakashi was a Jounin, better to catch him by surprise. " _ **Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"**_ He watched as Kakashi disappeared into flames.

When the flames died away Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. ' _Where is he?'_ Sasuke looked around. In a jolt of movement, he was buried up to his head in the ground. "What the...Get me out!"

Kakashi smiled. "Sorry Sasuke. Can't do." Kakashi disappeared. Sasuke struggled, but wasn't able to escape. ' _Hopefully someone comes by.'_

Hinata was hidden in a tree when she heard a rustle from behind her. She grabbed a kunai and flung it at the sound. Just then, Naruto stepped out, and was stabbed in the jugular. Hinata froze. ' _No! Naruto wouldn't get hit by that! It's not real! It's not real!'_ She shook her head, but Naruto was still there, slowly bleeding.

"AHHHHHH!" Naruto spun towards the sound. He'd been observing Kakashi, learning his fighting style. ' _He got Hinata. Ugh.'_ Naruto moves as fast as he could to the sound.

Kakashi stood the middle of a field, reading his book. He heard a rustle to his right, and dodged a barrage of shuriken, without looking away. "There you are. I was wondering when you would show up." Naruto didn't say anything. "What's wrong?"

"I'm trying to figure out why you read that crap." He said, gesturing to the book. Kakashi blanched.

"How dare you insult my book. It was written by a great ninja. The one and only-"

"Ero-sennin."

"...what?"

"Jiraiya's my godfather. He's a perv. I call him Ero-sennin."

"He lets you do that?"

"I've called him that for years. Get ready, Sensei." Naruto charged. Kakashi dodged without a problem, but wasn't expecting a knee in the stomach. "I learned that from Sasuke." Naruto said. Kakashi backed off. Naruto as fast and strong.

"Good job. You seem to have some skill, but is it enough?" Kakashi tired to chop the back of Naruto's neck, but Naruto ducked under the blow and backed off.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ 15 Naruto's appeared. They all charged headfirst at Kakashi. He blocked and dispersed some before the others backed off. Two of them threw kunai and shuriken. He deflected them, forcing the clones to dissipate. He continued to whittle down their numbers until only one was left. Naruto charged one more time, but Kakashi disappeared from his line out sight.

"Secret Konohagakure Jutsu! _**100 Years of Death!**_ " Naruto heard from behind him, before he felt a sharp pain in his ass. He screamed in pain before disappearing into smoke. Kakashi stood up, looking around for the real one, but he never showed.

Meanwhile, Naruto was looking for Hinata when the clones memories returned to him. ' _He's good. I'd better find them.'_ He searched the forest, before spotting the end of Hinata's boot. "Hinata!" She lay on the floor. "Hinata!" He shook her awake. She groggily opened her eyes. She blinked at him before launching herself at him.

"Oh thank god you're not dead! I thought I killed you! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She cried.

"Hinata?! What's wrong?!" She cried into his shoulder. He slowly pieced together a story from her scrambled cries. "Hinata! Calm down! It was just a Genjutsu! You need to stop crying!" He comforted her until she stopped crying.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have jumped you." She said, blushing.

"It's fine."

"Why'd you come for me?"

"A clone fought Kakashi-Sensei and lost. Badly. The only way to win is to work together. We'll decide who goes back later. Let's get Sasuke out the ground."

"Wha."

"Just follow me." Naruto led Hinata to the hole where Sasuke was trapped. After a nice laugh at his expense, they slowly dug him out.

"Thanks."

"No problem, Teme. Now then, you need to work with us."

"Huh?"

"We can't beat a Jounin alone. We work together and maybe we can do it."

"Even then, he knows thousands of Jutsu. How can we fight that, Dobe?"

"I have a very special Jutsu that can get me really close to him. But it's a one time use. Only once per day. I need you guys to distract him so I can set it up."

Kakashi checked the timer. Only a few more minutes until noon. He sighed, he'd hoped that they would've passed.

" _ **32 Palms!"**_ Kakashi was assaulted by chakra blasts, but he quickly escaped before all his Tenketsu were sealed.

" _ **Fireball Jutsu!"**_ A Fireball appeared at his left. He dodged that too. Four Naruto's appeared behind him. ' _They're working together. Let's see how they do.'_ Kakashi thought with glee. He took them on as best they could, taking out the clones before throwing shuriken to keep Hinata away. Naruto jumped out from under him, henge'd as a rock. Kakashi dodged. Naruto grabbed a kunai and threw it as Kakashi was still in midair. It was slightly off, passing by his belt. But something was off about the kunai. It was shaped very strangely, with writing on the handle. Kakashi's eyes widened. Those kunai belonged to his Sensei!

Before he could cover his eyes, he was blinded by a yellow flash. He felt hands brush his side just as the alarm went off.

When he could see again, Naruto, Sasuke. And Hinata were all arguing.

"I should go back, You two are more powerful than I am."

"No Hinata-Chan! I'll go back. I'm dead last anyway."

"I'm not letting you go back Dobe. If I go back, the civilian council will just put me on another team." Kakashi listened. None of them seemed willing to let the other leave. He cleared his throat.

"Hrm-hm!" They turned to him. "I'm glad to say that you all pass!" He smiled.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Um...guys? Aren't you gonna celebrate? Anything?"

"WHAT!" All three of them screeched. "You said only two of us would pass!"

"It's simple really." They listened closely. "I lied."

"Screw you!" Naruto said. "I was worried about going back the entire time!"

"You should've been. The threat was very real. But either all of you go back, or none of you do. In Konoha, we work as a team. No matter how powerful you are alone, you're more powerful with a team. And I'm happy to say that your teamwork is spot on."

"So the test was about teamwork?" Sasuke asked.

"Yep!"

"Couldn't you have done it in a less confusing way?"

"Of course I could, but where's the fun in that?" He said. Sasuke sweat dropped. "Come with me." He began to walk off, and the Genin chased after him.

They stopped in front of the headstone. "On here are heroes from the Third Ninja War. My best friends name is on here. Obito Uchiha." He said, with a glance at Naruto. Sasuke looked at Kakashi.

"You were friends with an Uchiha?"

"He was an idiot. Just like Naruto." Kakashi chuckled. Then he grew somber. "The only thing I have left of him is his eye." He said raising his forehead protector. The Sharingan flared.

"You have the Sharingan." Sasuke said. "How?"

"Obito have it to me as his dying wish. I'd just lost my eye. It's one of the reasons I was assigned to your team. They wanted me to train the Uchiha." Sasuke nodded. "Well then, since you passed, I think you deserve a break. Meet me at Training Ground 7 tomorrow at 8." He disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Over the weeks Team 7 completed the most D-rank missions in the history of the village, mostly thanks to Naruto's clones. Team 7 had great chemistry, Hinata being a close-range Taijutsu fighter, Naruto being a mid-range Taijutsu/Ninjutsu fighter, and Sasuke being a long-range Ninjutsu/Projectile fighter. Their teamwork was even better. Every time they fought Kakashi, they got closer and closer to beating him.

After finishing yet another D-rank mission, Naruto started to vent his frustration. He'd become a ninja to follow his father's footsteps, not do chores! "Jiji! I want a C-rank mission!" He was immediately bopped on the Head by Kakashi.

"Excuse his manners Hokage-sama. Though Naruto has a point. I believe my team is ready for a C-rank mission." The Hokage raised his eyebrows.

"And what makes you think they're ready?" Iruka stood on the side. He didn't think they were ready either.

"Team 7 has completed more D-rank missions in the last week than anybody ever. There teamwork is great, and they are getting stronger everyday. I believe they're ready." The Hokage considered his words. Perhaps a C-rank mission would be good for them. And he knew exactly what to give them

"All right. I have a C-rank mission here."

"Hokage-sama! Please reconsider! They've only been out of the academy for 3 weeks. They're not ready!"

"With all due respect, the moment they graduated is the moment you stopped being their Sensei. I know what they're capable of, and I think they're ready." Kakashi said.

"Calm down Iruka." The Hokage said. "You will be escorted a bridge builder to his home in the Land of Waves. Bring him in!" He ordered. The door opened to reveal an old drunk man staggering in. He eyed the team.

"Oi! What's with the midgets? I thought I was getting Ninja! They look like a breeze could know them over! Especially the blonde one!" Naruto ignored him.

"I am a Jounin sir. I assure you, we are all Ninja. You do not have to worry." The man eyed Kakashi.

"You look capable at least. I'm Tazuna."

"Kakashi Hatake, and my students. Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuuga, and Naruto Namikaze." He said, gesturing to each student.

"Namikaze...I've heard that before...eh, whatever. Meet me at the gate tomorrow at 10. Don't be late!" He staggered away.

"Well kids, I think you should all pack up and prepare for your first real mission." Kakashi smiled. Inside, all three were elated. Their first real mission!

They all rushed home, trying to pack as much stuff as possible. Naruto packed his special kunai, just in case. He considered bringing his father's diary, but he didn't want to risk losing it. He stuck with his clothes, tent, and weapons.

The next morning, Naruto woke up at 8. He showered and ate, before slowly making his way to the bridge. He arrived just before 10, finding Sasuke and Hinata already waiting.

"Hey guys. Where's the builder?"

"We don't know. Hopefully he's not late."

"Oh we're here." Team 7 jumped. Kakashi and Tazuna stood beside them. "Ready?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah!"

"Yes."

"Of course."

"Then let's get started." Kakashi said. He started out the village, and Tazuna and Team 7 followed.

* * *

 **Please R &R! I love feedback! I'm in the process of writing the third chapter. Hopefully it'll be out by the end of January.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 is right here! Hopefully you guys like my reiteration of the Wave ark.**

* * *

 _Naruto's POV_

"Would you shut up, Dobe!" Sasuke screamed. Naruto stopped talking.

"Why?" Everyone other than Naruto fell over and planted theirs faces into the ground. Naruto really was an idiot sometimes.

"You're so loud and obnoxious. This is an escort mission, not a bore him till he dies mission!" Naruto looked at Kakashi. He nodded. Naruto looked at Hinata.

"Sasuke's right, Naruto-kun."

' _Everybody's ganging up on me! Come on! I wasn't that loud!'_ Naruto sighed. "Fine." All four of them mumbled something that sounded oddly like 'thank god.' Naruto sweat dropped. "You guys are mean." Naruto focused on the road. He felt his foot sink into a puddle. "Fuck. I hate when my sandals get wet." he superheated his sandals with chakra, essentially flash drying them. ' _Why's there a puddle in the middle of summer?'_

Kakashi eyed the puddle. ' _It's summer, and it hasn't rained in ages. That means we have Ninja. If Tazuna lied, they'll attack him. If not well...we'll just have to find out.'_

Team 7 passed the suspicious puddle, most of them oblivious to the implications. As soon as the puddle passed their line of sight, the brothers emerged. They ensnared Kakashi in their chains, and he was ripped apart.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto jumped at them. They would pay for that. He stabbed one in the jugular, effectively killing him, but was ensnared by the others chains. A kunai stopped the chains from ripping into him though. "Thanks, Teme!"

"No problem." They were distracted by the sound of pain coming from the other brother. Hinata had hit him with a chakra charged hand. He staggered, before collapsing. "Good job, Hinata." Sasuke said.

"Uh-huh." They kicked the fallen brother, making sure he was unconscious. Naruto already knew what happened to the other one. "What are we gonna do about Kakashi-Sensei?"

"I'm surprised you're all taking my death so well." They spun around, finding Kakashi standing over the dead ninja.

"How are you alive?" Sasuke asked.

"Kawarimi." They sweat dropped. He couldn't have told them? "Now then. I have a question for you Tazuna. Why are there missing-ninja attacking you?" Tazuna started sweating.

"I-I don't know what your talking about." He looked away.

"Oh I know you do, Tazuna." Kakashi was smiling, but it was a smile that said 'If you don't tell me what I want right now, you'll be sorry.'

"Alright alright! Kami, don't make that face again!" Tazuna shuddered. "The Land of Waves is very poor right now, because of a criminal called Gato."

"You mean Gato, from Gato Industries?" Kakashi asked, surprised.

"Yes, but he has taken over our island, and we have barely any money. He controls all our shipments. If I finish the bridge-"

"He has no control over the island anymore, so he sent ninja to kill you. But that doesn't excuse lying to the Hokage about the mission ranking. If my students weren't as good as they were, they could be dead."

"I'm sorry, but putting all our money together was only enough to afford a C-rank mission! Please stay! We need you!" Tazuna was begging. You could see the suffering in his eyes. Kakashi turned to his team.

"What do you guys think? This is a B-rank possibly A-rank mission. Should we keep going." Team 7 looked at eachother. An A-rank mission was dangerous, but they'd become Ninja dammit. Naruto spoke up.

"The people are suffering because of that man. I think they deserve our help." Sasuke nodded in agreeance.

"The Dobe's right. They need our help." He said. "What do you think, Hinata?"

"I say we go and help!" Kakashi nodded.

"Alright. But Tazuna," he said, looking at him. "You'd better pay the full price after you have the money." Tazuna nodded.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Team 7 prepared themselves. This mission had gotten a whole lot harder.

* * *

"This is as far as I can take you, Tazuna." The fisherman said, as he deposited them on the shore " You'll have to walk the rest of the way.

"That's alright. Now go before someone finds you!" Tazuna shooed the fisherman away. They watched him disappear into the mist.

"How far until your house, Tazuna?" Kakashi asked.

"Only 30 minutes or so."

"I'm afraid that another ninja will try to stop us before we get there. Probably Jounin level or higher. Be prepared." Team 7 nodded. Naruto stood by Tazuna, prepared.

10 minutes later, Naruto heard rustling in a nearby bush. The others didn't seem to hear it. As fast as he could, he threw a kunai straight at it. Tazuna flinched. Kakashi stepped into the bush, and came out holding a rabbit.

"Good job, Dobe. You just scarred a bunny for life." Sasuke laughed. Naruto scowled, pissed that he'd overreacted. Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

' _It's summer, and this rabbit's coat is still white. That makes it a house pet. If it's out here, then...Kawarimi!'_

"Get down!" He shouted. All the Genin dropped down, but Tazuna froze. Naruto swore, and tripped the man down just as a massive sword flew over their heads. It lodged itself in a nearby tree.

"The hell?" Tazuna asked. He glanced up, just to see a man materialize on the sword. Kakashi studied him, before slowly reaching for his forehead protector.

"No wonder the demon brothers failed, Kakashi of the Sharingan." The man said.

"Zabuza Momochi, Demon of the Mist." Kakashi said, hand hovering by his face.

"Ah, my reputation precedes me. Now, why don't you hand over the bridge builder and let me kill him."

"No way!" Naruto spoke up. "We were hired to protect him!"

"So in Konoha, they let little squirts like him play ninja? The standards for a shinobi have fallen."

"Who're you calling a squirt?!" Suddenly, the air was injected with high amounts of KI. Tazuna, Sasuke, and Hinata froze. Sasuke went for his kunai.

"Is that all you've got? I've felt more Killing Intent from the furball in my gut!" Naruto laughed. The KI tapered off, and everybody looked at Naruto. "You suck!"

"Naruto." Kakashi sighed. "You'd be better off if you didn't insult your enemies. Now then, let's get this over with." Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing a fully realized Sharingan. Zabuza grabbed his sword, and appeared on the nearby lake. He raised one hand to the sky. Water pooled around Team 7. "Be careful." Kakashi said, before rushing out at Zabuza. Water Clones appeared around them.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ Naruto said as he brought his hands together. 20 Naruto's appeared, and immediately threw themselves at the Mizu Bunshin. Sasuke and Hinata focused on protecting Tazuna from any clones Naruto forgot about.

Kakashi met Zabuza on the lake, and immediately had to dodge a slash from the sword. "Your students are weak, Kakashi."

"Naruto shrugged off your KI like it was nothing. And he's dealing with your Clones pretty well." Kakashi said, launching a barrage of shuriken.

"Those clones only house a fraction of my power. Now die!" Zabuza forced Kakashi to jump over a sword slash, and pounded Kakashi into the lake. Just as Kakashi emerged, he found himself trapped in a ball of water, slowly suffocating.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto screamed, finishing off the last of the clones. Sasuke grunted, and pulled out a shuriken as long as his arm. He launched it at Zabuza, but Zabuza just leaned out of the way.

"You'll need to throw it faster than that!" He laughed, before noticing another shuriken. "Shadow Shuriken?" He jumped over it.

Suddenly, he saw a three pronged kunai whiz towards his arm. He twisted out of the way, but, in a blinding yellow flash, Naruto appeared and slashed Zabuza's arm. Zabuza instinctively pulled his arm away, and in the process, released Kakashi from the Jutsu. "Fuck you, squirt!" Zabuza yelled. He attempted to cut Naruto in half, but Kakashi stopped him.

"I'm your enemy now." Zabuza jumped away. He began to flash through hand signs.

" _ **Water Style: Water Bullets!"**_

" _ **Water Style: Water Bullets!"**_

The two Jutsu clashed and fell to the lake. "H-how?" Zabuza asked. Kakashi smiled. Zabuza began to flash through another set of hand seals. He glanced up at Kakashi, and saw that he was on the same seal as him. ' _Can he-'_

"Read minds?" Kakashi smiled. The air shimmered, and behind Kakashi, a figure resembling Zabuza appeared. "W-what?"

" _ **Water Style: Water Dragon!"**_

"N-no way! That's my Jutsu!" Zabuza screamed, before being assaulted by a massive wave of water. He was swept back, before unceremoniously hitting a tree, and falling unconscious.

"Good job, Naruto." Kakashi said, turning to said Genin. "How'd you learn how to walk on water?"

"Dad had scrolls about it at home." Kakashi nodded. They turned their attention to Zabuza.

"It's high time you left this world." Kakashi raised his hand. Zabuza's head snapped to the side, before slumping over. Senbon were lodged in his neck. Team 7 looked around, and found a masked ninja in a nearby tree. "You're from Kirigakure."

"Yes. I must thank you. I've been following Zabuza for awhile now." The hunter-nin appeared next to Zabuza. He slung the body over his shoulder. "Goodbye." He shunshinned away.

"Good job protecting Tazuna. Let's ke-" Kakashi began to falter. The world spun, and he felt his legs lose strength underneath him.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" He heard distantly. His field of view went black. "Kakashi-Sensei!"

"Naruto!" He looked over at Hinata. "He used too much chakra. As long as he rests he'll be fine." Hinata said.

"The Sharingan uses a lot of chakra, and Kakashi-Sensei wasn't born to use it anyway."

"Oh...Well how do we move him then?"

"You can make tangible copies of yourself Dobe! How are you the Yondaime's son when you're this stupid?!" Luckily, Tazuna wasn't paying attention.

"You don't have to yell Teme!" Naruto brought his hands together, and 4 Naruto's appeared. He nodded at them, and they picked up Kakashi. "Let's go. He's heavy" one of the clones said. Tazuna nodded, and led them along the path.

They stopped at a house on the outskirts of the village, and a young lady opened the door. "What's this?" Then she noticed Tazuna. "Papa! You're home!" She ran to hug him. "And these are the ninja you hired?" He nodded. "They seem a little young…"

"That's what I thought at first, but they've saved my life. Twice!"

"Excuse me, ma'am, but our Jounin Sensei fell unconscious due to chakra exhaustion. Do you have a room that he could rest in?" Naruto asked. Sasuke and Tazuna stared at him. Naruto had never been this respectful. Hinata was already used to it though.

"Please, don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old. I'm Tsunami."

"I'm Naruto, this is Hinata," He said, pointing at her "and the kid with the emo hair, is Sasuke."

"Hey!"

Tsunami laughed. "Where is your Sensei?" Naruto turned.

"Come on guys! He's not that heavy!" The group of Naruto's slowly appeared.

"You wouldn't say that if you were carrying him!" Tsunami looked at her father in confusion.

"Ninja Bullshit." He said.

"Alright, boys, bring him in." She gestured for the clones to bring him inside. One of the clones stuck out his tongue, and promptly burst into smoke after Naruto punched him.

"Stupid Clone." He muttered.

"Aren't Shadow Clones just as smart as the original, Dobe?" Sasuke asked. The boys began to argue. Hinata sighed, and followed Tazuna and Tsunami inside.

"Are they always like that Hinata?" Tsunami asked after the clones dispelled.

"Yes. Naruto is my best friend, but him and Sasuke are like brothers."

"Are you jealous?"

"No...I like being a friend rather than a sister."

"Why?"

"I...um...I-I…"

"Oh. Don't worry, I understand." Tsunami said with a knowing smile. Hinata blushed. "Now let's work on getting your Sensei to wake up." Hinata nodded.

Team 7 was tense. The boys had stopped arguing, and were now hanging around Kakashi, waiting for him to wake up.

"Uhnnn…" Kakashi groaned. Team 7 surrounded him. When he opened his eyes he saw everyone's faces.

"Kakashi-Sensei, are you alright?" Hinata asked. He tried to sit up.

"No no. You're still exhausted." Tsunami said.

"And you are?" Kakashi asked. His throat was sore.

"Tsunami. And you are their Sensei?" He nodded. "Just rest." She disappeared.

"Kakashi-Sensei." He turned. Naruto was at his side. Sasuke too.

"Zabuza…"

"Huh?"

"Zabuza's not dead...The hunter isn't real…"

"Relax, Kakashi-Sensei. You're still weak. Tell us later." Kakashi lay back down.

"What do you think he means?" Naruto asked. Sasuke shrugged. Team 7 left the room.

By dinnertime, Kakashi was strong enough to travel with crutches. They all sat down at the table, and began to eat. For Hinata and Sasuke, it was a meager meal, as they came from rich families with servants to feed them(Sasuke had servants from the council), but for Naruto, even though he had money, the shop keeps overcharged him and he didn't have anyone to cook for him, and this kind of meal was better than he usually had.

"Who're they?" A voice said from the doorway. Team 7 turned and saw a small boy wearing a striped hat. His face was blank, as if he were holding back emotions.

"Oh Inari, come here!" Tazuna said. Inari ignored him.

"Who're they, Mom?"

"They're the ninja hired to protect your grandfather." Tsunami replied.

"What's the point."

"Huh?"

"They'll be killed by Gato, just like Kaiza!" He disappeared.

"I'm sorry." Tsunami said. "He's been a it...hostile since Kaiza died."

"Who's Kaiza?" Naruto asked.

"He was my husband, and Inari's stepfather. Gato executed him after Kaiza tried to stop him. Inari always thought that Kaiza was the strongest, but after he died, Inari's been a little pessimistic."

"A little?" Sasuke asked. Tsunami sighed.

"Zabuza's not dead." Tazuna's knife fell.

"W-what?" He said, staring at Kakashi."

"The Hunter-ninja was a fake. She used Senbon to put Zabuza in a near death state." Tsunami was pale.

"Who's that?" She asked.

"He was a ninja that tried to kill your father." Hinata said.

"What are we going to do about it?" Sasuke asked.

"Tomorrow morning we're going to start training. We have maybe a week, a week and a half if we're lucky, before he's healed" He said. Team 7 nodded.

The next morning, Team 7 was in a clearing not so far away from the house. "What are we doing Kakashi-Sensei.? And why isn't Naruto here?" Sasuke asked.

"Naruto already knows this exercise, and the next step afterwards., so he's staying as a bodyguard." Hinata and Sasuke looked at eachother. "Now then, let's start."

"With what?"

"We'll be climbing trees." They stared at him. "Without hands."

"How?"

"Like this." Kakashi concentrated his chakra, and proceeded to limp up the trees before standing upside down on a branch 15 feet up. "Concentrate your chakra on your feet. If you have the right amount, you'll stick. Too much and you'll be launched away from the tree. Remember, keep a steady amount of chakra. Use these." Two kunai landed at their feet.

* * *

At the house, Naruto was watching Tazuna. It was Sunday, so there would be no building today. "What's wrong Naruto?" Tsunami asked.

"I wish Gato wasn't doing these things. I sent a clone to the town, and it's horrible. There's no food, they're all poor. Kids tried to rob me so many times. I don't like when I see people go through what I went through." Tsunami stared at him.

"Would you like to explain yourself?" Naruto was silent for a moment.

"I was kicked out of the orphanage when I was Three, and I was dirt poor until I was Eight. I'm the village pariah for reasons that I can't share with you. In the few months before the Hokage gave me an apartment, I, as a three year old, had to sleep in dumpsters, and steal food, just to survive until the next day." Tsunami was shocked.

"That's horrible!"

"I know." That was all he said.

Dinner was silent. Team 7 whispered amongst themselves, Inari sulked, Tazuna was preparing for the work day, and Tsunami was contemplating on what Naruto said earlier.

The next morning, Naruto went with Tazuna to the bridge, while the rest of Team 7 went back to the clearing. Hinata had reached the branches, but needed bigger reserves, and Sasuke was still trying.

"I can't keep going, Boss. I'm sorry."

"Don't come back, you spineless bastard!" Tazuna angrily sent him away.

"What was that about?"

"My workers keep quitting. Soon, I won't have anybody." Naruto was silent for a moment.

"How many have you lost?"

"That was roughly the 60th person...What are you doing?" Naruto ignored him.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ A crowd of Naruto's appeared in smoke. "Alright guys! Line up!" The Clones organized themselves into one line. Naruto turned to Tazuna. "Where do you need them?" Tazuna blanched.

"W-what? They can all work!" Naruto nodded. "Yeah...Alright!" He shouted." He assigned each and everyone of the clones with a job. He found the original studying a scroll. "What are you doing?"

"I'm training. I need to study these seals." He turned back to his scroll.

 _Gravity Seals_

 _If you were to use these seals in your training, you would find that they make it much harder to move. You could use these to up your speed and strength in short amount of time. I know that a Genin called Might Guy has been using them to fight Kakashi._

Underneath the writing, a seal was written, and instructions on how to change the weight. ' _20 on each limb sounds good.'_ Naruto drew the seal onto a paper, ready to transfer it to his chest. ' _I hope this works.'_ Naruto took off his shirt and. He'd left the cloak at home. It was impractical for missions. Only for showing off. He charged some chakra into the seal, and thrust it into his chest.

Immediately, he felt the effects of the seal. His limbs felt like they were dragging through lead, and he struggled to move his arm. "Ugh." He sat down, and slowly raised his arm to his chest. He turned the seal, 90 degrees, and all the weight went away. "Oookay. Maybe only 10 pounds." He turned the seal 45 degrees in the other direction, and the weight came back, but not as bad as before. He stood up, and slowly moved around, getting a feel for the new weights.

"What are you doing?" Tazuna asked. He'd seen Naruto stagger.

"Testing out a new seal." was all he said. Tazuna nodded.

Training continued for the next few days, Hinata had mastered the tree walking, and Sasuke was very close. Dinner was silent again until Inari spoke up.

"I'm so close. I can taste it."

"How do you taste success, Teme?"

"Does it matter, Dobe?"

"Why do you even bother training?" Team 7 looked towards Inari. "You'll just die. He has hundreds of thugs."

"Look kid." Naruto spoke up. "I know you're pissed about Kaiza, but we're ninja. Thugs can't do anything to us."

Inari froze. "You ninja always think you're better than everybody else." Naruto was about to say something, but then Inari dropped the bomb. "I bet you've never had a bad day in your entire life." Everybody save Tazuna froze. They all knew just how ban Naruto's life had been, and Inari had made a massive mistake.

"...How dare you…" Naruto whispered. Inari looked at him. "How dare you...HOW DARE YOU!" He jumped up onto the table. His claws cut into his shirt. "I HAD TO SCAVENGE AND STEAL FOR FOOD! I WAS KICKED OUT OF THE ORPHANAGE! I WAS TIED TO A STAKE AND REPEATEDLY STABBED! YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS! I'VE BEEN ALONE ALMOST MY ENTIRE LIFE.! YOU CAN'T COMPARE TO MY LIFE! DON'T ASSUME THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD IT BAD, OTHER PEOPLE HAVEN'T HAD IT WORSE! **YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A BAD DAY!"** Naruto's voice took a demonic turn. Kakashi tried to get up, but he knew that even at full strength he couldn't defeat a rampaging Jinchuuriki. Naruto suddenly disappeared, and the window shattered.

"Where's he going?" Tsunami asked, making her way over to Inari, who was frozen in his seat.

"To blow off some steam." Kakashi replied.

* * *

In a nearby clearing, Naruto was decimating the landscape. ' _Calm down, he didn't know. He's just a kid.'_ Naruto told himself.

" **He doesn't understand. No one will. You're lucky your so called "friends" even want to be close to you."** The Fox said. Naruto ignored him, and he slowly calmed down, and the trees stopped taking the brunt of his anger. He faltered as he felt the demonic chakra leave his body. He didn't even try to make it back to the house. He lay down, and drifted away.

The next morning, Naruto slowly opened his eyes, and saw a blurry face with long black hair. "Who are you?" He asked. As he came to, the features became more visible. It appeared to be a girl, with deep, red eyes, and long black hair.

"I'm Haku. And you are?"

"I'm Naruto Namikaze."

"Oh...are you a ninja?" Naruto grinned.

"Yep. I'm a ninja!" he said standing up.

"Aren't you afraid of dying?" Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, but it comes with the job. If I die, then I won't really matter to anyone anyway." He said, thinking of the villagers.

"Surely, you have precious people who care about you?" Haku said.

"Yeah, I guess. But not a lot. If I died they'd be sad, sure, but they have other people. I'm alone."

"Well then, you'll have to get stronger. Don't you think that if you have people to protect, you'll become stronger than you ever thought possible?" Haku asked. Naruto considered his words.

"Yeah...Yeah! I have to go train. Bye pretty lady!" He said, as he made his way back to the house. Haku smiled.

"I'm a male!"

"What! You're a dude?!" Naruto asked. Haku nodded. ' _He needs to stop dressing like girls do!'_ Naruto thought. Suddenly, he was pulled back by his collar.

"There you are, Naruto." Kakashi said. "I just realized we never talked about your first kill. That's probably why you got so mad at Inari. Pent up emotions" Naruto looked away.

"I don't want to talk about it…"

"No no. You have to talk about it. Surely, your teachers told you how to deal with it."

"Yeah, but he said that I wouldn't have any trouble killing." Kakashi stood still for a moment, seething.

"Then I'll teach you." He sat down. "You can't bottle the feeling. You have to release it."

"But we're ninja. We're expected to kill."

"Yes, but we're not expected to like it. Naruto, every Shinobi has a different outlet. I read my books, Asuma smokes, I know that you're dad created new Jutsu. We aren't just killers. We are humans."

"So why do some Shinobi enjoy it?"

"Look, Naruto. When you start to enjoy killing, you should quit. 'Cause that means you've lost your humanity. Retire. End it. You shouldn't ever enjoy killing, 'cause if you do, you're no better than an animal." Naruto nodded.

"I didn't want to kill him. I just wanted to stop him from killing anybody else…" Naruto started crying. Kakashi held him close.

"Shh, shh. It's alright. He was a missing-ninja, and he needed to die anyway. Now he can't kill anybody again. You did the world a favor, Naruto." They sat there, talking for awhile, before they made their way back to the house. Naruto was feeling much better. He was his old self again. Loud and boisterous.

"I'm sorry…" Inari said when they arrived at the house. "I shouldn't have thought that I you didn't have a bad life." Naruto rubbed his hair.

"No it's alright. You're just a kid. I'm sorry for getting so mad."

"I shouldn't cry when other people have it worse than I do."

"No you should cry. But only when you're happy. 'Cause that means that something really good has happened." The two boys disappeared into Inari's room.

"Why do the villagers hate him so much?" Tsunami asked. Kakashi sighed.

"I'm not allowed to tell you that. Village secret." Tsunami nodded, and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

The next day, Sasuke, Hinata, and Kakashi went with Tazuna to the bridge. Sasuke had succeeded in mastering tree walking, and Naruto hadn't woken up, so they left him behind. When they reached the bridge, however, they saw bodies strewn around it.

"What happened?"

"Zabuza." Kakashi said. "Get ready." Suddenly, mist fell all over the bridge.

"W-what?" Hinata activated her Byakugan. "It's laced with chakra. I can barely see!"

"Dammit."

"Ah, Kakashi, Kakashi. Today's the day that you die!" zabuza appeared in front of them.

"You brought the fake hunter-nin with you too." Kakashi said. Another figure stepped into the light. "Sasuke. Don't let the hunter-nin get to Tazuna. I'll take Zabuza. Hinata, you stay with Tazuna. Go!" Sasuke rushed at the hunter-nin, who turned and led him away. Kakashi lured Zabuza away from Tazuna. Hinata kept her Byakugan active, hoping that the mist would let up. ' _Naruto! You need to get here now!'_

Sasuke stopped. He couldn't see anything in the mist. Suddenly, he saw movement at his side. He deflected the Senbon with his Kunai. "So you're the Uchiha. It's time for you to die." A voice said. Sasuke launched his kunai in the direction of the voice. "I'm sorry. _**Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"**_ The mist let up, but Sasuke was surrounded by Mirrors. Each one of them contained the hunter-ninja. ' _Dammit! Where's the Dobe when you need him?!'_

* * *

Naruto woke up to the sound of banging pan. ' _Huh...Shit!'_ He rushed down the stairs, and found Inari bound in rope being held hostage by a bandit. He didn't even see Tsunami.

"So we've got another one." The bandit said. Another one appeared from the doorway. This one was holding Tsunami, who seemed unconscious. "Get him!" The two bandits rushed at him. Naruto smirked. Bringing his hands together, 3 clones appeared around him. "Shit, he's a ninja!" One of them said. The bandit pulled out a sword. The clones launched themselves at the bandits. 7 seconds later, there were two, very badly beaten thugs, tied up in the floor.

"Hah. Serves you right." Naruto said, kicking one of them. They grunted. ' _Why are they attacking today? Is Tazuna alright?'_ Naruto turned to one of the clones. "You! Go to the bridge and check! Make sure they're okay!" The clone nodded in confirmation, and bolted out the door. "You guys okay?" Tsunami and Inari nodded.

"I was too weak…" Inari said. Naruto shook his head.

"No no. You tried right?" Inari nodded. "Then that's the best I could ask for." He shuddered as he the clones memories came to his mind. "Fuck." He swore. "You two, stay here. Make sure no one else gets them." He said, looking at the remaining clones. "I gotta go." He vaulted out the window, going as fast as he could to the bridge. ' _Wait for me guys!'_

When he approached the bridge, he saw that it was covered in mist. He could barely make out Tazuna and Hinata at the edge, and he heard clashes inside. He assumed that was Kakashi and Zabuza. ' _Where's Sasuke?'_ He ran towards Hinata.

"HINATA!" He screamed as he approached. She turned.

"Naruto! You're here!" Hinata said. Naruto stopped next to her.

"Where's Sasuke?" Hinata pointed in the direction he'd been led off in.

"He's fighting the fake Hunter-ninja." She said. "I heard screams though. Go to him first."

"Ok!" Naruto sped off. He kept running, until he got hit, face first, and fell on his ass. "The hell…" He looked up. He'd crashed into what appeared to be a mirror made of ice. As he looked around, he saw there was an entire dome made of ice. Peering around, he saw that on the inside, Sasuke was staggering, in a vain attempt to defend himself. Parts of his body had needles sticking out. "Sasuke!"

"Naruto!" I ne-GACK!" He was hit again,and blood came spilling out of his mouth. Naruto made his way inside.

"Sasuke. Are you okay?"

"Do I look like I'm okay, Dobe?" Naruto grinned. Sasuke eyes darted to the side. "Duck!" Naruto compiled, and Senbon went whizzing over his head.

"How'd you know they were coming?" Then Naruto noticed his eyes. They were blood red, and had a pinwheel pattern in them. The left eye had two tomoe, while the right eye had only one. "The Sharingan…" Sasuke looked at him. "You got your Sharingan!"

"That's great, Dobe. But we're in the middle of a fight!"

"Oh, yeah." Naruto laughed. He turned. The hunter-ninja was in every single mirror. "Let's get out of here. Rasengan!" Naruto charged at a mirror, spinning ball of chakra in his hand.

Immediately, pain shot through his body, and the Rasengan had senbon lodged in his ankle and wrist. Then, two more cut through his muscle. He cried out in pain, and more and more appeared on his body. He tried to dodge, but he could barely move.

"Why do you waste time trying to escape? You will die in here, trying to protect someone you can't save." The voice came from every mirror. Naruto eyes darted around, trying to find an opening. He grabbed his special kunai, and threw it as hard as he could towards an opening in the mirrors. He waited until the kunai reached the mirror, and tried to activate the Jutsu, but when he appeared, he was still in the ice dome.

"How?!" He asked.

"Do you think I would let you escape so easily?The Ninja said. "I won't let you, or your kunai leave this dome." Naruto fell over, as more senbon stabbed through his muscles. His legs weren't responding. He couldn't feel his arms. Everything hurt. ' _Is this where I die?'_ He wondered. He watched helplessly, as senbon came flying from every mirror he could see. He couldn't even try to block.

He saw a flash of black and suddenly, Sasuke was standing in front of him. Every single senbon cut into his body, and blood came rushing out of the wounds. "Sorry...Dobe, but I won't let...you die!" Sasuke said, before keeling over. Naruto watched, as Sasuke twitched for a moment, before laying still. Blood seeped, until he was surrounded.

"Sasuke...Sasuke?" Naruto nudged him, no response. "Sasuke!" He shook him harder. No response. ' _He's...he's dead! He dead, and the fake hunter-ninja killed him! He was killed!"_

" **Kill the ninja, and you will avenge your friends. Kill them all."** Naruto didn't even pause to consider. He felt the fox start to take over, but he didn't care. The fox was right, he had to avenge Sasuke. ' _I'm going to kill him! I'm going to_ _ **kill him!"**_ Red chakra began to swirl around Naruto's feet. The senbon that were in his body were pushed out, and his wounds began to heal.

"W-what's going on, how are you doing that?!" The hunter-ninja said. The chakra began to swirl upwards, superheating the air around it. The ice mirrors started to melt.

Kakashi was having a hard time in his fight. He could barely see 3 feet forward, and the only reason he'd lasted this long was because of the Sharingan. But then the air was filled with demonic chakra, and Kakashi knew that this was about to get a whole lot worse.

Back inside the dome, the chakra had taken the shape of a smiling fox head. "Stop that!" The hunter-nin commanded. Naruto ignored him.

" **You killed Sasuke!"** The chakra swirled faster. The mirrors started to shrink. " **I'm going to FUCKING kill you!"** Naruto disappeared, and swiped at a random mirror. It shattered like glass. He fazed around, breaking mirrors constantly. Haku threw senbon at his legs, hoping to immobilize him, but they were deflected by what appeared to be a tail.

"W-what? What are you?!" The chakra bubbled, and formed a long tail, almost the same length as Naruto. Then, chakra bubbled around Naruto, and formed a protective covering over his body. He stood on all fours, a single tail swishing behind him. His chakra ears twitched, and he launched himself to the mirror that Haku was hiding in. Haku didn't have any time to react, and the mirror shattered, throwing an unmasked Haku out onto the battlefield.

" **Y-you're the guy who looks like a girl!"** Naruto said. The cloak slowly seeped back into his body, but the foxy features remained. " **Why do you work for Zabuza?"**

"I am a tool, meant to be used for whatever Zabuza wants."

" **No! You're a human, with emotions! You shouldn't listen to a criminal!"**

"He's all I have! My father killed my mother, and then tried to kill me! He's the only person who cares for me! You wouldn't understand!"

" **I understand! It's stupid! You don't need him! Don't be a tool, just because it seems like their the only person who cares! They don't care! They just want what you have!"** Suddenly, Naruto's ears picked up the sound of chirping birds. So did Haku's.

"Chidori!" Kakashi cried, rushing at a weakened Zabuza. Zabuza had been distracted by the demonic chakra, and in that time, Kakashi had trapped him using his summoning dogs. He ran, his hand stretched out like a sword. His hand went through flesh, but it wasn't Zabuza's. The hunter-nin had taken the hit.

"Was...I...a good tool?" Zabuza didn't reply. Haku fell down, and wouldn't be getting up again.

Kakashi cursed, he didn't have enough chakra to use Chidori again. Zabuza wasn't dead, and now he had a Jinchuuriki loose. Just then, said Jinchuuriki appeared. Kakashi groaned.

" **Are you alright, Kakashi-Sensei?"** Naruto asked.

"Are...are you in control?"

" **Barely. He won't shut up about killing everyone."** He said, glaring at his stomach. Kakashi saw a spark of hope. If Naruto was in control, then they had a chance. Zabuza spoke up.

"You're still alive? Haku, you failed me." He said spitting at Haku's body. All of a sudden, he couldn't breath, and a strange warmth was trickling out his throat. Naruto stood their, claws around his larynx, which had been ripped out of his neck. Blood began to spurt out of the hole, and Zabuza knew that there was nothing he could do. He would choke on his own blood, unable to breath. He tried to kill the demon boy, but as soon as he reached for his sword, a hand was in his chest, stabbing straight through his heart. He spluttered, and collapsed, dead at Naruto's feet.

" **You don't deserve a painless death! Haku cared about you, and you disrespected his body! Goodbye, Zabuza!"** The chakra cloak was back. Kakashi stared at the brutal killing of the Demon of the Mist. The mist lifted. Kakashi spotted Hinata and Tazuna, who both appeared unharmed, and Sasuke, who lay on the ground, riddled with needles.

"Hinata, is Sasuke alive?" Hinata nodded, but was staring at something behind Kakashi. So was Tazuna. He turned, and narrowed his eyes "Gato."

Gato was standing behind a crowd of sword wielding thugs, grinning like an idiot. Naruto hunched over, like a fox ready to pounce. "Stay calm Naruto."

" **Would you Shut, UP!"** Naruto screamed. Kakashi froze. " **Not you, Kakashi-Sensei, the Kyuubi."** Amazingly, Naruto was still in control of his body. Naruto's willpower was stronger than anybody had realized.

"So, Zabuza failed...It doesn't matter, he was just cannon fodder anyway." Gato said. Naruto eyed him.

" **You're the guy who's been stealing from these people?!"** Gato turned to him.

"I wouldn't say stealing, more, exhorting. But what are you?" Naruto ignored him.

" **You die too."** Even if Naruto was in control, the influence of the fox made him far 'more violent and bloodthirsty. Gato flinched.

"Alright guys. Get the demon kid first, then the bridge builder! Whoever kills either of them gets triple pay!" With a cry of glee, every single mercenary charged at Team 7, and Naruto charged to meet them.

Kakashi stood, but he saw that in this battle, he wasn't needed. Naruto tore through the group like a hot knife through butter. It was a bloodbath. Not a single sword touched Naruto. "Come on, you idiots! He's just a kid!" Gato cried. Naruto flinched, and his chakra cloak began to morph. A second tail slowly formed, and Naruto began to move again, much faster than before.

The thugs began having doubts, and some tried to flee, but Naruto didn't let a single person escape. Soon, it was just a blood-soaked Naruto, and a fat, little man.

"Please-please! I can give you anything! You could be as rich as the Daimyo! I'll give you whatever you want!" He was practically pissing himself. In fact, he was pissing himself. He fell down onto his ass, still pleading for his life. Naruto ignored his bribes.

" **Shut up."** Naruto brought a clawed hand up. " **I don't want to hear it."** The hand came down, slashing Gato down the middle. He cried out in pain, but Naruto wasn't done. He kicked him, and Gato went tumbling backwards. Kakashi watched as Naruto tortured the man, slowly bringing him closer to death. Finally, Naruto backed away from Gato, who was brutally slashed and beaten. " **Wake up."** He shook Gato awake. " **You should be conscious when I kill you. No mercy."** Gato whimpered. Naruto picked up a fallen sword, and, in one fell swoop, Gato's head fell off. The rest of the body pitched backwards, oozing blood from the new hole.

" **Good."** He turned to Team 7. He lunged at them, before abruptly stopping. " **Don't kill them, you stupid Fox."** He struggled with himself for a minute, and the cloak faded away.

"Are you there, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, tentatively. Naruto nodded. "Why do you still use it's chakra?" He could still feel the demonic influence.

" **I can sense more chakra signatures nearby. Gato has more thugs."** Kakashi nodded.

"I'm proud of you, Naruto. You didn't let hate overcome you." Naruto grinned, which was unnerving because of his long canines, but it was still Naruto.

"Hey! You killed our meal ticket!" They turned, and found a crowd of thugs at the end of the bridge. "Now you'll have to die, too!" Suddenly, an arrow whizzed through the air, and landed at the tugs feet. They glanced in the direction the arrow came from, and saw that the entire village, led by Tsunami and Inari, were standing, protecting the bridge.

"We won't let you undermine us anymore! Gato's gone, and now we can fight back! Right Naruto?" Naruto grinned.

" **Yeah Inari."** Naruto turned back to the group. They seemed to be arguing amongst themselves. Using his hypersensitive ears, he listened in.

"They're just villagers! We only have to worry about the ninja! Get rid of them, and it's over."

"But look at how many villagers there are."

"Please, that was just bravado. None of them know how to fight. Just get the ninja!"

"Look at the girl though, I'm sure we could sell her." Suddenly, Naruto appeared in the middle of the group.

" **You should have ran when you had the chance."** He smiled.

"Get him!" They all piled around Naruto. Naruto grinned, a sadistic grin.

" **Too bad."** Naruto spun to his left, slashing at a thug. He dropped dead. The others turned tail to run. " **No, no. You all die."** Another massacre ensued. The villagers watched, horrified. The parents hid their children's eyes, and on the outside, they were retching. But deep down, they were happy that Gato and his thugs were finally getting what they deserved.

When Naruto emerged, the two-tailed chakra cloak was back. Naruto was shuddering. It was getting harder and harder to stay in control. In desperation, he cried out.

" **Hinata!"** Kakashi limped over. He'd covered his Sharingan again.

"She's dealing with Sasuke. What do you need?" Naruto shook his head.

" **Get. me. HINATA!"** A shockwave left his mouth, and the water underneath his feet began to sway. Kakashi nodded.

"Hinata! Naruto asked for you!" He yelled, as he approached her. She shook her head.

"I can't. I'm keeping Sasuke stable." She was, in fact, making sure that he stayed alive while she removed the senbon riddleing his body. Kakashi just pointed at the Jinchuuriki. Naruto was definitely losing control. Her eyes widened, and she left Sasuke on the ground.

" **Hinata!"** It came out as a strangled yelp. " **Help me!"** He started to cry. Memories of the worst moments in his life were surfacing, distracting him from the Fox's attempts at taking control. He remembered being beat in the orphanage, chased on his birthday, being pelted with anything the villagers could get their hands remembered being tied to the stake, stabbed, over and over, until he wished he were dead. " **Please...please."** He felt a comforting hand on his chest. He raised his eyes, Hinta was there. Her arms encircled him, and he wept into her shoulder. ' _Hinata was there for me...Always.'_ The fox's voice slowly faded into the background, and Naruto held his lifeline tight. "Thank you, Hinata." He rasped.

They stayed there for a longtime. When Hinata pulled away, he had fallen asleep. ' _Probably from using too much chakra.'_ She gazed at the bodies around them. Maybe if it were a different time and place, they would have affected her more, but right now, Naruto needed her. ' _He called for me! He called for me!'_ she sang in her head. She felt a weight on her shoulder.

"You seem to enjoy holding him so close. Don't you Hinata?" Kakashi smiled. She blushed. Kakashi sighed. "Good job, Hinata." She shook her head.

"I didn't fight anybody. The boys did all the work."

"But you followed orders. That's an integral part of being a ninja. Tazuna's safe, and that was the mission objective." Hinata looked away. Kakashi always seemed to know what to say when someone was feeling down.

They gazed over the bridge. The bodies and blood would have to be cleaned away. Naruto and Sasuke both needed medical care. ' _And Naruto's getting a bounty for killing Zabuza. Hah. I have the best team.'_ Kakashi thought.

After getting over their shock, the villagers offered to clean the bridge, and Kakashi, Hinata, Tazuna, Tsunami, and Inari carried the two boys home. "Why'd you cover my eyes mom?"

"Huh?" Tsunami asked.

"Earlier, when nii-san was fighting those guys, you covered my eyes. Why?"

"Well, um...it wasn't meant for children to see."

"But Naruto-nii-san's a kid!"

"Yes, but he's a ninja. There's a difference."

"That makes no sense!" Everybody else laughed. It may not have been funny, but it was entertaining after a fight like that. Just to see a mother and son arguing was enough to lift their spirits.

"Tazuna." Tazuna looked at him. "I don't think you'll need to worry about your bridge anymore." Kakashi said.

"Yeah...Yeah!" Tazuna smiled. They made their way back to the house.

"Unngh…" Naruto made a noise. They stopped walking, "Huh…" His eyes darted open. "What happened to Sasuke?!"

"He's fine. He just needs rest after all the acupuncture. And don't scream, Naruto."

"Sorry, Kakashi-Sensei." He looked down at his hands. They were covered in blood. His shirt was ripped, and he could feel the slimy bits against his skin. He shuddered. ' _I'll never get used to this.'_

"Are you okay?" He looked up, into Hinata's eyes.

' _I forgot how pretty her eyes are...what?'_ He wondered. "Yeah...I'm fine Hinata-chan. He took a step, and winced as pain shot through his leg.

"You shouldn't be walking, Naruto-kun."

"No,no. It's fine. It's healing, see?" He pulled up his pants leg. Indeed, the cuts were healing at an extreme rate. They steamed, and disappeared. "Ahh. That's better."

"How'd you do that?" Inari asked. Naruto flinched.

"Um...It's this special thing I have...no one else has it though…" Inari seemed content with that answer, and Naruto sighed. "Where's Sasuke?" Kakashi gestured to his back, where Sasuke was draped over. "Okay…" He looked back at his hands. "I need a bath."

Back at the house, they lay Sasuke in the room where Kakashi had been. Naruto went to the nearby stream to bathe. Hinata and Tsunami catered Sasuke, and Kakashi sat in the corner, reading his book, (giggling like a perv). Tazuna had gone back to the bridge to oversee the cleaning.

"I'm back!" Naruto said when he entered the house. He had changed clothes. Now he wore a simple blue shirt, and black pants.

"Get in here!" He heard from a room. He went inside.

"Sasuke!" Sasuke was sitting up, wincing at the pain, but he grinned when he saw Naruto.

"Hey, Dobe, I heard you kicked ass. How'd it feel?"

"Well, Teme, It was awesome!" Naruto told him what had happened while he'd been asleep. When Tazuna returned, he found Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke all laughing and bantering like best friends.

"Hey kids! The villagers want to see you guys. And you too." He said, looking at Kakashi.

"Huh. Well, guys, you want to see what they want?"

"Yeah!" Naruto said. Hinata and Sasuke nodded. "Let's go!" They trekked out the door. As they approached the village, they heard shouts and whoops. "Guys...That sounds like a celebration!" He sprinted ahead, and Sasuke and Hinata just looked at eachother.

"So…" Sasuke smiled. "You still like him?"

"W-what?!" Hinata blushed.

"Please Hinata, everybody in the school knew. It was obvious. Whenever he got close you started to blush." Hinata blushed even harder.

"E-ev-everybody?!" She stuttered. Sasuke nodded. ' _NOOOOOO!'_

"What're you guys doing?" Hinata jumped. Naruto was right in her face.

"Eep!" She fainted. The boys sweat dropped.

"She hasn't done that in ages. Why now?" He checked her forehead. "Is she sick?" He looked at Sasuke.

"Jeez, you are dense!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Figure it out yourself!" Sasuke walked off. Naruto shook his head.

"Teme." He shook Hinata awake. "You okay, Hinata? You haven't fainted in years." Hinata nodded.

"Sorry, Naruto-kun." Kakashi arrived.

"What's happening here?" Naruto shrugged. "Well then, I heard there's a festival in the village." He helped them up. "In fact, I think it's a festival about you, Naruto." Naruto's eyes lit up.

"Really?" Kakashi nodded. "Alright! Haha!" He celebrated. Hinata smiled. It was nice to see him receive the admiration he deserved.

"Hey, Dobe! They want to see you!" Sasuke called when they arrived.

"Hey, he's here!"

"He's a hero!"

"He saved us!" The villagers crowded around Naruto. A little girl came up to him.

"Did you really get rid of Gato?" Naruto nodded. Her eyes lit up, and she hugged him, before running to her friends to tell them the news. The crowd threw him into the air, chanting his name, over and over. Then the festival kicked off.

The village was still poor, as Gato's money hadn't been returned yet, but the moral was high. The farmers brought out all the food they had, and the craftsmen hung their best jewelry. It was the happiest day in a long time.

* * *

The next week passed quickly. Tazuna completed the bridge with his old employees and hundreds of Naruto clones. Gato's hideout had been raided, and the money was being handed out. The Land of Waves was prosperous. Hearing of the big fight. People visited the bridge, and tourists brought money. Finally, it was time for Team 7 to return home.

They stood on the mainland side of the bridge. It was a heartfelt goodbye. The people didn't want to see their hero go. "Thanks guys!" Naruto said. He'd been gifted some of the most expensive things they had, but he'd turned it all down, saying "I don't want it. I already have all that I need." The villagers watched Team 7 disappear down the road. Inari turned to his grandfather.

"What'd you name the bridge?" Tazuna sweat dropped. He'd forgotten to name it.

' _Um...um...I need a name! What do the people want. Let's see...Naruto, Naruto!'_ He smiled. "The Great Naruto Bridge." Inari's face lit up.

"Guess what the bridge is named!" He shouted. "The Great Naruto Bridge!" The name spread throughout the crowd, and the entire village smiled. All their suffering was finally over.

* * *

The road back to Konoha was free of travelers, so they traveled at a slow Genin pace, and reached the gates within a few hours.

"Hello, Team 7. How was your mission?" Naruto smiled.

"It was great!" He said as Kakashi signed them in.

"Alright kids, I need to debrief the Hokage about the mission, and you two," he said, pointing to Hinata and Sasuke. "Are free to go. Naruto come with me." He turned and walked off. Team 7 looked at eachother.

"Go guys. I'll see you at Ichiraku's." He chased after Kakashi.

"Did we say we were going to Ichiraku's?" Sasuke asked. Hinata shook her head. "Dobe."

"SASUKE!" A mass of pink raced into his field of view.

Naruto and Kakashi entered the Hokage tower. The secretary waved them through, but not without glaring at Naruto. They passed a couple of ANBU, who shuddered when they saw the prankster. Kakashi silently thanked the gods that he'd quit the ANBU when he had.

"Ahh, Kakashi. You're back." The Hokage said.

"Jiji!" Naruto launched himself at the Hokage. The Hokage caught him, and laughed at Naruto's antics.

"Hello, Hokage-sama. I have interesting news about our mission." The Hokage sat down.

"Report."

"Hai. Tazuna the Bridge Builder, lied about the ranking of the mission. It was a C-rank turned A-rank mission, as we met the demon brothers, and Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Mist. Naruto killed Zabuza, and we have the head here, to collect bounty." Kakashi said, pulling out a storage scroll. "The mission was completed, and Tazuna has given full A-rank payment."

The Hokage nodded. "Why did he lie?"

"The Land of Waves was much too poor to afford such a high-ranked mission. Gato, from Gato Industries, was exhorting them. We have his head also." Kakashi said, pulling out another storage scroll. "Naruto killed him too. My entire team did very well, using teamwork as best they could. Hinata followed orders very well, and Sasuke was a very valuable teammate."

"And why is Naruto here?" The Hokage asked, glancing at Naruto, who had moved next to Kakashi.

"Naruto released the Kyuubi's chakra, and stayed in control long enough for Hinata to calm him down. He did show signs of violence, but was obviously in full control of his body."

"What's this I hear?" A voice said from the window.

"Ero-sennin!" Naruto ran at him. He'd began calling him that after Jiraiya gave him pointers on the Rasengan.

"Stop calling me that! I'm the Great Toad Sage!" He turned back to see Kakashi kneeling in front of him, holding a book.

"Would you, please, please sign my book, Jiraiya-sama." The Hokage sweat-dropped. His loyal Jounin/ex ANBU was asking for an autograph.

"Why of course! I love to see young men like you take an interest in my great literature. He signed his name on the inside cover, and Kakashi held it the book as if it had floated down from the heavens. "I take it that you're this kids Sensei?" Kakashi nodded. "Well then, maybe you'll pass on some of your reading habits to him."

"Ero-sennin!" Naruto punched Jiraiya in the nutsack. He keeled over.

"My unborn children…" The Hokage cringed.

"Now then, you stayed in control of the Fox, Naruto?"

"Yeah, Jiji!"

"And what led to the release anyway?"

"Um...Sasuke took an attack for me, and I thought he died." The Hokage nodded.

"Go on."

"After that, I kicked this guy called Haku's ass, who was working for Zabuza, and then Kakashi killed him. Zabuza disrespected his body, and I guess that the fox made it feel worse, and I ended up killing him."

"If you stayed in control, that means that technically, you can control the Fox's chakra. Yes?"

"Yeah, but it was hard, and the longer I used it, the harder it was. I almost killed my friends." the Hokage considered this.

"Well then, I think we're done here."

"Wait Hokage-sama. I have a question. When Naruto used the chakra, he was enveloped in some kind of chakra cloak in the shape of the fox tails and all. What happened?"

"Hiruzen-Sensei, if I may." The Hokage nodded. Jiraiya spoke. "The Kyuubi will always try to escape. I believe, that the chakra cloak is a measurement of how close he is to succeeding. If Naruto were to reach 9 tails, I believe that the Kyuubi would be free, and Naruto would be dead. However, each tail adds power to Naruto. How many tails did he reach."

"Two."

"Then he was as strong as the two-tailed beast. But probably with a slight drawback, as a human body can not contain that much power."

' _He was in control of that power?!'_ the Hokage thought. "Is that all?" Kakashi nodded. "Do you have anything to say, Naruto?" Naruto shook his head. "Alright. I will be giving you the bounty for Zabuza Momochi, and you will receive your mission payment tomorrow." They nodded, and left the room.

"He gets stronger every time I see him."

"I know, Jiraiya."

As soon as they left the tower, Naruto went straight to Ichiraku's. When he arrived, he saw that Sakura was attached to Sasuke, and Sasuke didn't seem to like it. He grinned, forming a hand sign. A clone appeared. "Distract Sakura." The clone nodded.

"Hey guys!" the clone said, approaching the stand. "What's going on?"

"Go away, Naruto-baka! Can't you see that I'm on a date with Sasuke?" She said, stretching the last word. 'Naruto' grinned.

"Hey Sasuke!" The clone said. "I never knew you were into women with small tits!" Sakura gaped.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU NARUTO-BAKA!" The clone booked it, Sakura chasing after him. The real one went to the stand.

"Hey guys!"

"Hey Dobe. Was that a clone?"

"Of course! You think I'm stupid enough to go personally? What'd I say to her to make her that mad though?"

"You don't remember?"

"The clone hasn't disappeared yet. I don't know what h-" The memories rushed in. "Ohh. Perfect." Naruto grinned. "Hey, Teuchi-san. 3 bowls of Miso Ramen!"

"You gonna pay this time?"

"I'll pay your tab Naruto." The kids turned to see that Iruka had entered the stand.

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered. Teuchi nodded, and got to work.

"What are you doing here, Iruka-Sensei?" Hinata asked.

"I heard from the Hokage about your mission. I wanted to hear from you. Was it actually an A-rank mission?" Team 7 nodded. "Wow. I'm impressed. Freshly graduated Genin."

"Here's your food." Teuchi lay down a bowl of ramen for each of them. Naruto immediately inhaled half his bowl before Sasuke even touched his chopsticks.

"Jeez Dobe. Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"Whft dre yu tawlin bot?" Naruto asked, mouth full of Ramen.

"Nevermind." Sasuke began eating. As much as it pained him to admit, Ichiraku Ramen was pretty good.

"So, why was it an A-ranked mission?" Iruka asked.

"Zabuza Momochi was there." Hinata said.

"He's an A-rank missing-nin! Who killed him?" Hinata pointed at Naruto. "Huh. No wonder it was A-rank."

"Sasuke was on an A-rank mission? Sasuke was always so strong!" The blonde headed fan girl had shown up too. "How was it Sasuke?" He didn't reply.

"Uhh, Ino? This isn't about you." Naruto pointed out.

"Go away, Naruto. I bet you didn't help on the mission at all." Iruka spoke up.

"Actually, Naruto was the one to kill Zabuza." Ino looked over, sizing Naruto up.

"Yeah maybe, but only after Sasuke weakened him. Right?" Sasuke shook his head.

"I didn't fight him at all. I was unconscious. Naruto was the one." Naruto grinned. "Don't expect me to say it again, Dobe!"

"Wha-what! No way that the dead last killed him. He lied! It couldn't have been Naruto!" Iruka shook his head.

"Ino, I know what the Hokage said, and I have no reason to doubt Naruto. Why can't you believe it?"

"Because Naruto was the dead last! Sasuke was the rookie of the year! Naruto's weak!"

"No Ino. Naruto has demonstrated powerful Jutsu before. His being dead last was at the fault of the grading system, not Naruto's skill level." Ino gaped.

"Thanks, Iruka-Sensei."

"No problem Naruto." Naruto turned to his teammates.

"Let's go!" Team 7 disappeared down the street, leaving a very confused Ino behind.

"Here's the bill." Teuchi said. Iruka glanced at it, before reaching into his wallet.

"Wait…" He looked at it again. "What!" ' _70,000 Ryo!'_

"You're paying for it, right?" Teuchi asked.

"NARUTO!"

* * *

 **The Fourth Chapter will be up tomorrow. Fifth Chapter will come soon. Please, please, _PLEASE_ , leave a review. I really ant to know how you like this story.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 is here! I really hope you guys like this one, I worked hard on this one.**

* * *

 _Naruto's POV_

It had been 2 months since the mission in the Land of Waves, and Naruto was happy. They had had another C-rank mission (an actual one) which they had completed relatively easily. It was early September, and the weather showed. In the Land of Fire it didn't necessarily get cold, but there was a distinct difference between Summer and Fall.

Today was his day off. Kakashi was busy buying a new book, Sasuke was hiding out in the Uchiha compound, because the fangirls had started to chase him again, and Hinata was dealing with familial business, so Naruto was alone. He'd thought about training today, but had given it up. He was just feeling lazy.

' _I feel like Shikamaru.'_ Naruto thought. He just lay down on the ground, staring up at the sky. He felt himself drifting off. ' _Maybe this is why Shikamaru's always napping. It's so relaxing.'_ Naruto watched the clouds, just thinking, until he drifted away.

He ended up in a sewer, a familiar sewer. "What do you want!?" Naruto yelled at the cage. Two eyes appeared.

" **I don't want you here. Go away."**

'Then why am I here?!"

" **Go away."**

"Hey! This is my mind, and my seal! I can do whatever I want!" Abruptly, he was subjected to massive amounts of Killing Intent. The Fox grinned, showing all his sharpened canines.

" **You would do well to remember that I am the Kyuubi, much stronger than you pathetic mortals could ever comprehend."** Naruto grunted, struggling against the weight he felt. " **You will listen to me. And you will not disrespect me. You mortals always want to use a Bijuu's power, but you forget that we are stronger."** The KI let up, and Naruto stood groggily.

"You really think I want your power?" Naruto asked. "I don't. I just don't understand why you hate everyone. Just because some people are shitty doesn't give you the right to hate all of them!" Naruto said thinking of Hinata and Sasuke.

" **Oh yes, your,** _ **Hinata-chan.**_ " The fox said, mocking the honorific he gave her. " **She is just like the rest. She hates you too, but she's too afraid to show it. Just wait."**

"That's not true! Hinata's different!"

" **The only difference I see is that she has boobs."** Naruto blushed.

"You will not look at her like that!" He commanded.

" **Remember,** _ **boy**_ **, I was in your mother before you. I know everything your mother did."** The fox proceed to torment Naruto for hours, repeating all of Kushina's worst moments.

After that conversation, the next few weeks passed quickly enough, until Naruto remembered that there was a very important day soon. He turned to Hinata and Sasuke. "Guys...don't come looking for me at the Kyuubi festival. I'm not going to be here." Hinata nodded.

"Why, tomorrow's not that imp-...oh." Sasuke said. Naruto nodded.

"I'll see you guys later." He walked off. Sasuke turned to Hinata.

"How bad is it?"

"Very bad. He spends all day hiding from the drunken mobs."

"Should we watch out for him?" Hinata nodded grimly.

The fated day came, and Naruto was up very early. He wanted to see the festival, without worrying about drunken villagers. He walked, solemnly to the Hokage monument. He stood on his father's head, staring over the village. "Why aren't they nicer?" He asked. No answer. He sighed, he hated his birthday. He'd seen the other kids birthdays. All these people celebrating a special day with their loved ones, while he ran for his life. "It's not fair."

He watched the sun rise, and the people start to stir. Decorations were up, and people were setting up booths. ' _I could try and up my weights...yeah.'_ He took off his shirt. 60 pounds on each limb. ' _Let's do 80.'_ He turned the seal 90 degrees, and he felt the new weight set in. "Okay!" He put his shirt back on. He considered his options, before walking off the edge. He walked down his father's head, before turning and walking back up Jiji's head. Down the Nidaime's, up the Shodaime's. Halfway up he noticed a discrepancy in the Shodaime's nostril. It appeared to be made of a different material from the rest of the head. He touched it, and a seal flared to life. ' _Huh? That's just an elemental seal.'_ He flared chakra into his hand. The seal faded away, and the nostril opened into a dark room. He stepped inside.

"What's this?" It smelled really bad. He couldn't tell what was making the smell, but it was definitely unpleasant. He stepped forward, searching for a light switch, he found one on a nearby wall, and flicked it on.

There were bodies, bodies everywhere. They were surrounded by flies. Most of the bodies were rotting. Naruto retched, unable to keep his stomach down. The flies flew towards the fresh food, and Naruto backed away. His elbow hit a shelf, knocking down a jar, which would've shattered had it not been for Naruto's fast reflexes. "Jiji needs to see this." Naruto said. He made his way out, but paused before he reached the hole. ' _Jiji's busy. He can't come here just to see this! I have to bring it to him.'_ Naruto pulled out a storage scroll, which he kept with him at all times, and prepared himself for what he was about to do.

* * *

Naruto spent hours inside the chamber, which seemed to be a maze of bodies. He saw so many bodies, many of them children. There were notebooks, vials, measuring systems. He stored it all. ' _Kakashi-Sensei said to map anyplace important.'_ Naruto spent another hour coming through the place, mapping everything he could find. He'd stored everything that wasn't nailed down. An image of the bodies, entered his mind, all the oozing juices coming out, the sunken eyes, the pale skin. He shuddered. ' _I'm leaving!'_ He jumped out the hole, forgetting that he was on the side of a cliff. Luckily, he was able to catch himself before he plummeted to his death.

He hurried to the Hokage's tower, carefully avoiding the mobs searching for him. When he entered the tower, the secretary stopped him. "You won't hurt Hokage-sama on this special day!" Naruto glared at her.

"I don't have time for this." She flinched, and he hurried up the stairs.

"Jiji!" Naruto said, throwing open the door.

"What is it Naruto? Are you alright?" the Hokage looked Naruto over. He didn't seem to be injured, but something had obviously scarred him. "What is it?" Naruto pulled out a notebook.

"I was training on the monument, when I found this seal thing on the Shodaime's head. Um...who's Orochimaru?" the Hokage glanced at the notebook. It was indeed Orochimaru's. Naruto had found one of his laboratories.

"What did you see?" Naruto took out the scrolls.

"It was horrible. Their were bodies everywhere." Naruto shuddered. He proceeded to pull out his map, and explained in detail, what he'd seen. The entire time, the Hokage listened, horrified that Naruto had found a laboratory, but he was proud of Naruto. Naruto gave a perfect report, and he'd detailed everything.

"Naruto, we have teams to do these kinds of things. You didn't have to do it yourself." The Hokage said when Naruto finished.

"Y-you mean, that I didn't have to do all of that?" Naruto asked. The Hokage shook his head. Naruto shuddered. "I _never_ want to do that again." The Hokage nodded.

"Well, Naruto. You do have consolation. This is being filed as an S-class mission. Congratulations." Normally, Naruto would have whooped in celebration, but he was too traumatized. He nodded, and left the room.

He exited the Hokage's tower, moving towards his house. He didn't want to even think about what he'd seen.

"Get him!" Naruto jumped. There was a mob of people behind him. He cursed, he wasn't prepared for this. "Hey!" He turned the other way. There was a separate mob in front of him now. They'd trappe him, and he didn't have a wall to climb now. He resigned himself to his fate.

"Stop!" The mob turned their heads.

"Uchiha-sama, what is it?" Sasuke grinned.

"That's just a Bunshin. The real ones that way." He said, pointing in another direction. They nodded.

"Thank you, Uchiha-sama." The mob dispersed in the direction Sasuke had pointed in. Naruto sweatdropped.

"They believed that?" Sasuke grinned.

"Drunk people are stupider than you, Dobe."

"Stupider's not a word, Teme."

"Did you want my help?" Naruto sighed.

"Thanks. What were you doing here?"

"Hinata and I decided to protect you today. Also, I wanted to give you this. Sasuke pulled something out his back pocket. It was an emblem, in the shape of the Uchiha symbol. "That symbol makes you an honorary Uchiha member." Naruto smiled, this was one of the nicest things he'd ever gotten.

"Thanks."

"Naruto-kun!" The boys turned, Hinata was running towards them. "Are you okay, Naruto-kun?" He nodded. "I wanted to give you this." She was holding a box, wrapped in paper, saying "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, Hinata-chan." He ripped into the paper. Inside, there was a small box. He opened it. It was filled with coupons to Ichiraku Ramen. Enough to last Naruto half a year. His eyes lit up. "Yes!" He hugged Hinata, who eeped, but wrapped her arms around him anyway. She caught Sasuke's eye, and he wiggled his eyebrows. She blushed.

"You know...this has been the best birthday ever. Thanks guys."

"Of course, Dobe."

"We're your friends, Naruto-kun."

The next day, Team 7 was waiting for Kakashi again. "I wonder what excuse he'll use this time?"

"Maybe the black cat?"

"Eh. I bet it'll be something else."

"Hey guys." Kakashi appeared in front of them.

"Where ya been, Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto stood up.

"Well, I was filling out forms for your applications in the Chunin exams." he held up said forms.

"Huh?"

"I put you guys into the Chunin exams. I think you're ready." Team 7 didn't say anything. "If you want to."

"Of course we do! Right guys?" Sasuke and Hinata nodded vigorously. "Give me those!" Kakashi handed Naruto the forms, who immediately filled them out, before even giving them to Sasuke and Hinata.

"Well then...turn them in at room 301, in the academy, on Friday. Got it?" They nodded. "Good." he disappeared.

"Sasuke, didn't the Hokage say that he'd tell you about Itachi if you became a Chunin?" Hinata asked. Sasuke shot up.

"We have to pass. _Okay?_ " You could see the fire in his eyes.

'Alright, Sasuke. I want to pass too."

"Me too."

"Then let's train." Sasuke pulled them along, but not before they passed an oddly shaped rock with eye holes.

"Konohamaru, come on! What have I taught you?!"

"I'll beat you one day, boss!" The boy cried out, jumping out from under his camouflage. He had started calling Naruto boss after the Ebisu incident, and it irked Naruto to no end.

"What have I said about calling me boss?"

"Sorry boss!" Konohamaru squeaked.

"Come'ere ya little shit!" Naruto ran at him, his teammates following at his heels. "Get back'ere!"

Konohamaru yelped and spun around a corner.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Team 7 turned the corner to see a boy covered in makeup, wearing black pajamas, holding Konohamaru by the hair.

"Le'me go!"

"Not until you've learned your lesson!" The boy said. Behind him was a blonde girl who appeared to be holding a giant metal rod.

"Let him go!" Naruto said, with as much authority as he could muster. The kid looked up.

"What do you want runt?" Naruto smirked.

"You're wearing makeup and pajamas." He pointed out. The boy blanched.

"Hey! It's war paint!"

"And the pajamas?" The boy dropped Konohamaru, and tried to charge at Naruto, before he was held back by the blonde girl.

"You know what Gaara will do, right Kankuro-san?" He gulped.

"But he's not here, Temari! He insulted me!"

"Shut up Kankuro." Team 7 heard from the trees. There was this kid, up in the branches. A gourd made of sand was strapped to his back. He had blood red hair, and a tattoo saying 'love'. His eyes were surrounded by bags, as if he barely slept. But the most noticeable thing was the evil chakra he was putting off.

Inside the seal, the Kyuubi raised his head. ' _ **Smells like Tanuki...I don't like being upstaged by Shukaku**.'_ He spoke to Naruto " **Hey kit, you should use my chakra. Make him back off."** Naruto nodded. He felt a small amount of chakra enter his chakra stream, and he used it.

Team 7 noticed the change in Naruto's chakra output. It was a showdown between Naruto, a secret prodigy, and Gaara, a crazed maniac. They stared each other down, until Gaara muttered something that they couldn't hear.

"I look forward to proving my existence. What is your name?" His team looked at him.

"Naruto Namikaze." Gaara nodded.

"Temari, Kankuro, we're leaving. Don't talk anymore." They nodded. Gaara turned and Team 7 watched them disappear.

"They're from Suna." Hinata said. "They're probably here for the Chunin exams."

"What was with that Gaara kid? And why'd you use Kyuubi chakra?" Sasuke asked.

"The fox won't tell me why he gave me chakra. Stupid." Naruto shook his head. "We'll see them again." Sasuke and Hinata nodded.

"Let's go train." They ended up training all day at the Uchiha compound.

The day came way too soon. Team 7 met each other at the Hyuuga compound, and slowly made their way back to the academy. The villagers glared, but Hinata and Sasuke glared right back. They had gotten much closer since Naruto's birthday.

As they walked towards the school, they began to be surrounded by other teams. They saw a few teams from Kiri, Kumo, Suna. Of course, there were no Iwa Genin. The academy loomed over their heads, and they stood in line to turn in their forms.

"Team 7, Students of Kakashi Hatake, Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuuga, and Naruto Namikaze. Is that correct?" Team 7 nodded in affirmation. He handed them their ID. "Go." Team 7 entered the building. They went up the stairs.

"Trust me, we're doing you a favor. The Chunin exams are way too hard."

"Just let us in!" There was a crowd of Genin outside a door reading 301. Two older kids were barring the entry. Sasuke smirked.

"Take down the Genjutsu." He said. The sign changed from 301 to 201.

"Are you Sasuke Uchiha?" They heard. Standing in front of them was this kid with a massive bowl cut. He wore a horrid green jumpsuit, with orange leg warmers, and his eyebrows were very thick. Sasuke paused before nodding. "I challenge you!"

"Why?"

"Sakura-san has told me that she only cares for you! I will defeat you, and win her affections!" His voice was steadily rising, drawing attention to himself.

"Be quiet Lee." A girl showed up behind him. "Oh hey Naruto!"

"Hey Tenten!"

"You gonna come by the shop again?" He shook his head.

"I don't need any weapons right now. But I'll come again sometime."

"What is going on here?" Another kid appeared. He had eyes just like Hinata, and Naruto recognized him instantly.

"Neji-teme." Neji ignored him, instead choosing to address Hinata.

"I see that you have chosen to participate in the Chunin exams. Did your teammates plead for you to apply?" Naruto stepped in front of him.

"Hey! She chose to apply on her own!"

"Neji-san, please." Lee said. He turned back to Sasuke. "Can we fight?" Sasuke checked the time.

"Sure."

"YOSH!" Everybody's eardrums shattered. The two teams made there way to the gym. Sasuke activate his Sharingan.

"Ready to lose?" Sasuke asked. Lee grinned.

"Let's see what your eyes can do!" He disappeared.

"W-what!" Sasuke looked around, before he saw a flash of green, and pain exploded in his back. Naruto watched in awe from the sidelines.

"That was fast."

"I couldn't even see him move." Hinata said.

"I can, but even then, he's really fast." Sasuke got his ass handed to him, unable to land a blow on Lee.

"Lion's Barrage!" Lee said, as he slammed Sasuke into the ground.

"Ugh…" Sasuke groaned.

"Jeez Bushy Brows, you're fast!" Naruto said. Lee was about to speak, when two people appeared in smoke.

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!" Team 7 watched as the two clones embraced each other. It was unnerving.

"I want to speak with you, Naruto."

"'Bout what, Kakashi-Sensei?" Kakashi grabbed Naruto's shoulder, and led him away.

"Your S-rank mission gave us valuable information about Orochimaru's seal. You should be proud." Naruto grinned wryly.

"It was nothing."

"No, Naruto. You did good. You could be the ninja who single handedly removed Orochimaru's seal."

"Thanks, Kakashi-Sensei."

"Now then, let's get back to your team." They went back, where Hinata was helping Sasuke up. "Good luck guys. I know you can do it."

"Yeah!" Kakashi led them to the door of the real 301, and they went inside, leaving their Sensei behind.

"SASUKE!" Sakura shouted, permanently crippling nearby eardrums.

"Jeez Forehead! Turn it down." Ino said, approaching. Naruto looked at Shikamaru.

"Can't you control her?" He shook his head.

"I would, but it's troublesome." Naruto sighed. Shikamaru was by far the laziest person he knew. Ino and Sakura were arguing over Sasuke, who stood between them, the look on his face saying he regret every decision leading up to this moment.

"Look, I know you're new, but you need to tone it down." A guy with gray hair and glasses said. "I'm Kabuto."

"Naruto Namikaze." He said, sticking his hand out. "This your first time?" Kabuto laughed.

"Actually, this is my seventh." He said, embarrassed.

"Holy-are the exams that hard?" Naruto asked shocked. Kabuto shook his head.

"No, I just have really low reserves. It is hard, but me failing is my own fault. But...Trying so many times has let me flush out my ninja cards." He said, holding a deck.

"What're those?"

"They have info on any ninja you need. You got anyone?"

"Rock Lee." Sasuke said from between Sakura and Ino.

"Alright...Um...His chakra coils are malformed, so he can't use any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, but he has high Jounin level Taijutsu. His teammates are Neji Hyuuga and Tenten, he's completed 47 D-rank missions, 9 C-rank missions and 2 B-rank missions. He uses only his superior speed and strength to defeat his enemies."

"Wow, he's good." Naruto said. Kabuto nodded. "Tell me about Gaara from the Sand." Kabuto nodded.

Pulling out another card, he said, "Gaara of the Sand is the son of the Kazekage. His teammates are his older siblings, Temari and Kankuro. Uhh...he's had 4 D-rank missions, 6 C-rank, 8 B-rank and 17 A-rank missions. He uses his sand to um, crush his foes, and he's never been scratched once." He said the last part in awe.

"Not once?"

"Never...Makes him a little scary, doesn't it?" Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata nodded.

"He's got nothing on Sasuke!" Sakura screamed. None of them noticed the sand creeping across the floor, until it reached Kabuto's feet.

"What the-" The sand surrounded kabuto, until he was trapped in a cocoon. Only his head was visible.

"You will tell me about Naruto Namikaze." Naruto looked at Gaara, who's hand was outstretched. Kabuto gulped.

"Uhh-Um...I n-need my hands." Kabuto stuttered. Gaara relented, and his hands were free, he was still wrapped in sand though. He looked at his card. "N-Naruto Namikaze is on a team with Hinata Hyuuga and Sasuke Uchiha. He has completed 174 D-rank missions, 3 C-rank missions, a C-rank turned A-rank mission, and...a singular S-rank mission." The room quieted when they heard that. "He killed Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Mist. He uses Kage Bunshin to swarm his enemies." He glanced at Naruto. "He has what's been dubbed a Demon Mode the villagers…" Naruto looked at him.

"What's this Demon Mode?" Gaara asked, his voice laced with venom.

"Uh-um...his eyes become slit, his nails lengthen into claws, and his hair becomes wild. He becomes more brutal and animalistic...These are just rumors though…"

"Go on." Kabuto nodded.

"Uh...some people say that he's surrounded by a chakra cloak, and he sprouts tails."

"And?"

"That's all I have! Please!" Gaara smiled.

"Then you're useless." He began to close his hand, and the sand constricted around Kabuto.

"Stop fighting, or you'll be kicked out!" a man said. He had two scars diagonally across his face. Gaara looked at him before turning away. The sand came down around Kabuto, before returning to the gourd on Gaara's back.

"You'll die later." he said. The older man sighed.

"I'M IBIKI MORINO! I'M THE PROCTOR FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE CHUNIN EXAMS. YOU WILL LINE UP HERE TO RECEIVE YOUR SEAT NUMBER, AND WE WILL HAND OUT THE TEST!" Naruto groaned. He hated tests. They lined up at the front, and Naruto got his number.

"We're next to each other, Naruto-kun." Hinata said.

"Oh yeah!"

"QUIET! THERE ARE RULES TO THIS TEST, SO LISTEN UP! YOU HAVE 45 MINUTES TO COMPLETE 9 QUESTIONS! AFTER 45 MINUTES, I WILL ASK THE TENTH QUESTION! THIS IS A TEAM ASSIGNMENT! IF YOUR TEAMMATES FAIL, YOU FAIL!"

"That's not fair!" Kiba said.

"SHUT UP! I MAKE THE RULES! SOME OF YOU ARE IDIOTS WHO CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A KUNAI AND A DOG! YOU MIGHT FEEL THE NEED TO CHEAT! IF I, OR ANY OF MY ASSISTANTS CATCH YOU CHEATING, YOU WILL LOSE 20 PERCENT OF YOUR GRADE! IF YOU HIT 0 PERCENT, YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE OUT! ANY QUESTIONS?!" Nobody said anything. "BEGIN!"

Naruto flipped over his page, he read through it. ' _What the hell? I don't get it!"_ he panicked. How was he supposed to pass a test he didn't understand?

"WE SEE YOU, NUMBER 43!" Ibiki shouted, drawing attention to the cheater. Naruto paused, people were cheating already?

"NUMBER 58!" More people were called out for cheating.

"NUMBER 76, YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE OUT!"

"What?! What did we do?!"

"YOU CHEATED! NOW GET OUT!" People stirred as the first team grumbled out the door. Naruto looked around as discreetly as possible. He saw a bug that reminded him of Shino, and Shikamaru and Choji were doing the exact same movements. Ino was slumped over, and Sakura was rapidly reading over her answers. Naruto looked at Sasuke, and he saw a flash of red letting him know that Sasuke was using the Sharingan to copy movements. He glanced at Hinata, and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the telltale signs of the Byakugan.

' _Hinata too? Why's everybody cheating?'_ He looked back at the problems. ' _I guess that I'd have to cheat to figure these out.'_ He looked back at Hinata. Suddenly, a kunai flew at his head, and he dodged just in time for it to hit the paper of the person behind him.

"NUMBER 40 AND TEAM ARE OUT!"

' _I almost got hit!'_ Naruto thought. He looked up at Ibiki, who was smirking at him! ' _Wait...How come we're allowed to cheat so many times? This isn't a normal test! They must be testing something else! Maybe our cheating? Yeah! That's probably it.'_ He thought. ' _I don't have any special ways to cheat though...And I don't want to fail...Fuck this.'_ He started to doodle. If they had to cheat, it didn't matter if he answered any questions or not.

Hinata looked over at Naruto's paper. He wasn't even doing the problems! "Naruto. You can copy mine." She whispered. Ibiki eyed them.

Naruto shook his head subtly, small enough that Ibiki didn't react, and moved on to kick another team of Genin hopefuls. ' _I'm an honorable ninja! I won't cheat!'_ He thought. Ibiki continued to kick teams, until 45 minutes had passed.

"LISTEN UP MAGGOTS! IT'S TIME FOR THE TENTH QUESTION! THERE ARE SOME EXTRA RULES! ONE: YOU CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE THIS QUESTION. IF YOU DECLINE, YOU WILL FAIL!"

"Then why would we say no?" Ino asked.

"SHUT IT!" He paused. "HOWEVER, IF YOU TAKE THE QUESTION AND GET IT WRONG, YOU WILL NEVER BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THE CHUNIN EXAMS AGAIN!" The room was silent, before Kiba spoke up.

"Hey! Some people have taken this test seven times! You can't do that!"

"I CAN AND I WILL! I'M THE PROCTOR AND I MAKE THE RULES! NOW WHO'S QUITTIN'?!" People looked at eachother.

"I quit." A kid in the back said.

"NUMBER 98, YOU'RE OUT! TAKE YOUR TEAM WITH YOU!' Slowly, more and more people were quitting. Naruto ignored it, until he saw Hinata about to raise her hand.

"Why?" She looked at him.

"Because I want you to become Hokage, and I don't want to hold you back." She said. She started to raise her hand. Naruto jumped onto the table.

"This is bullshit! I say give us the damn problem already! If I fail, I'll just be the first Genin Hokage! I didn't get here by being a pansy!" he shouted at Ibiki.

"ARE YOU SURE?! YOU CAN'T DO THIS AGAIN...NOBODY ELSE?! ALRIGHT THEN! HERE'S THE TENTH QUESTION!" They all waited. "EVERYBODY PASSES!"

...

...

...

"WHAT?!" The entire room asked. Ibiki smiled.

"THIS WAS A TEST OF YOUR RESOLVE, AND CHEATING SKILLS! WE DON'T HAVE SPACE AMONG THE CHUNIN TO TAKE NINJA WHO WON'T PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE! AND CHEATING IS A VALUABLE SKILL! IT CAN BE THE KEY TO YOUR LIFE!" He undid his Forehead Protector. The room gasped, his entire head was covered in scars. "This is what happens when you have bad information!" he said solemnly. "No-"

*CRASH*

"I'm Anko Mitarashi, you're second proctor!" She said, interrupting Ibiki. She was wearing a mesh shirt and mini-skirt, and an open overcoat, all of which made her a look like she was on the borderline of slutty. She looked over the room. "You let 27 teams pass! You're getting soft!" Ibiki grimaced.

"We have a kid who instilled some courage into these maggots." He said, pointing at Naruto. Naruto smirked, and Anko eyed him for a moment.

"Doesn't matter, I'll cut the number if half at least." the room looked at her shocked. "Meet me at Training Ground 44 tomorrow at 2!" She jumped back out the window. The teams looked at eachother.

"You really are an idiot, Naruto-baka. Getting up like that in the middle of an exam!" Sakura said, aiming a punch at Naruto. Naruto let it hit, just to see if it hurt. It didn't.

"You're one to talk, you can't even hurt me." Ignoring her screams of rage he turned to Hinata. "Look Hinata-chan. I know that you care about my dreams, but you should focus on yours too! And don't think so little of yourself, you won't hold Sasuke or me back!"

"Like you measure up to Sasuke, Naruto-baka! You're probably the weakest one on your team!" Sakura said. Surprisingly, Sasuke spoke up.

"We are all equal on my team. And Naruto has completed an S-class mission." He said. "When'd you do that, Dobe?" Naruto grinned.

"Well, Teme. It was on my birthday, before that...thing happened. I was training, and I found this hole in the Hokage Monument, and apparently it was a secret laboratory of an S-rank missing-nin called Orochimaru."

"That's it?! No fighting or anything?" Kiba asked. Naruto shook his head. They'd gotten along better after Naruto had taught him a lesson about how women weren't prizes to be claimed.

"Not every mission is about fighting. I'm sure Naruto-kun found very valuable information for the village." Hinata said. "And S-rank missions aren't for people with weak stomachs. You must have seen horrible things." Naruto shuddered.

"I don't wanna think about it. It was disgusting. All those bodies…" He trailed off, and they realized he wasn't going to say anymore about it.

"You still don't measure up to Sasuke!" Sakura said, hanging onto Sasuke's arm.

"Don't touch me." He said. She jumped away. "Let's go." Team 7 left the building. They wandered around for a bit, before running into Ino's team again.

"Hey Naruto!" he raised his head. "I challenge you to an eating competition!" Choji grinned. Naruto smirked, Choji was still miffed about losing the last eating competition they had.

"You're on!" Ino looked disgusted, while Shikamaru just looked on lazily. Naruto led them all to Ichiraku's, where Teuchi immediately saw the two eaters, and prepared a banquet for them. Naruto had always been able to connect with the two boys through Shikamaru's love of sleeping through Iruka's lectures, and Choji's love of food.

"Here are the first bowls boys!" Teuchi said, slamming two bowls of Ramen in front of them. "Ready?" Both boys nodded, breaking apart their chopsticks. "GO!" The boys tore into the Ramen, literally gulping the food down their throats. Their teammates looked on, slightly disgusted by the sight.

"Hey, Teme!" Sasuke looked up. I bet I can beat you too!" Sasuke growled. The Dobe wasn't allowed to beat him. Teuchi brought a third bowl, which Sasuke consumed with gusto. Of course, as soon as Ino saw this, she joined in, and dragged Shikamaru in too. Not wanting to deal with an angry woman, he ate as fast as possible. The only person left was Hinata.

' _Should I?'_ she weighed her options. ' _I don't want to get fat, but if I win...he might like me more! Or at least try to beat me…'_ "Let me in too!" She said. Ino looked at her, surprised that the normally shy girl was taking the initiative. Teuchi began working even harder to keep up with the ninja. He produced bowl after bowl, barely staying with the eaters.

Ino gave out first, wanting to watch her figure, and Shikamaru saw his opportunity to quit. Sasuke gave out soon after, unable to keep up with the others. It was down to the final three.

Choji, Naruto and Hinata. They all eyed each other, trying to get into the other's mind, intimidation techniques. "There's only so much you can eat Choji." Naruto said, receiving his next bowl. Choji growled.

"Noodles sure are filling, aren't they Naruto?" Hinata smiled. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Hey, Teuchi-san! Next level!" Teuchi grinned, and prepared the next level of Ramen. He brought out three bowls of Wonton Shrimp. Wonton was fatter than Miso, and therefore more filling. Choji groaned, Wonton always filled him up quickly.

Sure enough, Choji gave out after the next two bowls, and only Hinata and Naruto were left. The spectators began to take sides, Ino, Choji and Sasuke cheered for Hinata, Ino because she didn't really like Naruto, Choji because he'd lost to Naruto, and Sasuke because he didn't want his rival to win. Shikamaru was too lazy to care, so Teuchi took his place, cheering for his favorite customer.

The two finalist began to slow down, showing signs of saturation. Naruto didn't consume his bowl with as much gusto as he usually did, and Hinata was looking at the food with a bored expression. They kept going though.

Finally, Naruto collapsed onto the table, unable to eat more. Hinata fell out of her stool, feeling very heavy. They were surrounded by bowls upon bowls of Ramen, and there was no clear winner. Teuchi counted the bowls, starting from least to greatest. He tallied the scores.

 _Ino Yamanaka- 2 bowls: Miso Ramen_

 _Shikamaru Nara- 3 bowls: Miso Ramen_

 _Sasuke Uchiha- 6 bowls: Miso Ramen_

 _Choji Akamura- 14 bowls: Miso Ramen, 2 bowls: Wonton Ramen_

 _Hinata Hyuuga- 12 bowls: Miso Ramen, 9 bowls: Wonton Ramen_

 _Naruto Namikaze- 13 bowls: Miso Ramen, 9 bowls: Wonton Ramen_

"Yay…" Naruto said groggily, too stuffed to speak any louder. The rest of them cursed. Of course Naruto would win a Ramen eating contest. Hinata groaned in her seat, she was sure she'd eaten more than he had.

They sat there for a few minutes, digesting Ramen, waiting for Naruto or Hinata to start moving. Teuchi laughed, ninja always over-indulged in everything.

"I need to work this off...I say we spar." Naruto said, finally beginning to move. Hinata nodded. Team 10 looked at each other. Choji didn't care, and Shikamaru would just do what Ino wanted. They agreed. The group of rookies made their way to a nearby training ground, supporting Hinata and Naruto.

"Hey, Teme! Let's give them some entertainment!" Naruto said, finally recovering from his Ramen splurge.

"K Dobe. What are the rules?" Naruto grinned.

"Anything goes, Sharingan, Rasengan." Sasuke raised his eyebrows. This sounded fun.

"Naruto's gonna get his ass kicked." Ino said, excited to see _her_ Sasuke fight. Shikamaru mumbled. Ino glared at him.

"What'd you say?!" She said, holding up her fist. He cringed.

"I was just saying that Naruto's gonna win."

'HOW!" Ino screamed. Choji covered his ears. Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome...Naruto isn't supposed to be dead last. He won every fight he fought, so how is he still dead last? Ask yourself that, huh."

Ino considered that. Naruto did win every fight in the academy, even if he beat Kadechi mercilessly. It didn't make sense, now that she thought about it. ' _I'm sure Hinata knows something._ She schooched over. "Hey Hinata, why's Naruto dead last?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't know." Hinata said. Ino could tell she was lying, and would have tried harder, if the fight hadn't started. She turned her attention back to Sasuke.

Sasuke started the fight first, throwing a couple shuriken, testing Naruto's reaction time after all the Ramen. Naruto dodged easily enough, but was caught unawares by a kick in the chest, and went skidding backwards. Ino cheered, Sasuke was obviously better.

"Ouch." Naruto said, standing. Sasuke smirked.

"You're a little slow Dobe!" He called. "Too much Ramen!"

"There's never too much Ramen!" Naruto rushed forward, aiming a punch at Sasuke's face. Sasuke dodged, and Naruto drove his hands into the ground, using his momentum to back kick Sasuke's shin. Sasuke cursed, hopping away. Naruto didn't let up though, and Sasuke was forced to activate his Sharingan. He dodged as fast as possible, able to predict Naruto's movements, but Naruto was used to fighting Sasuke, and changed his trajectory mid punch, hitting Sasuke in the ribs.

"H-how?!" Ino asked, unable to comprehend Naruto hitting Sasuke.

"Naruto has experience against the Sharingan. He has adapted his fighting style accordingly." a new voice said. Team 10 and Hinata turned to see Team 8 approaching with their Jounin Sensei, Kurenai. "He is obviously well versed against Sasuke." Shino finished. Naruto and Sasuke were too preoccupied in their fight to see the arrival of a new team.

"Hello Hinata."

"Hello Kurenai-san." It was slightly tense between Hinata and Kurenai. Kurenai had requested that Hinata be on her team, so that they would all be trackers, but the Hokage had placed Hinata on Naruto's team, as she was the only one able to calm down the Jinchuuriki. Kurenai didn't know this however.

"They're really goin' at it, huh?" Kiba said. Hinata nodded.

" _ **Fireball Jutsu!"**_ They were interrupted by the Sasuke, who was currently expelling a massive fireball from his mouth, straight at Naruto, who was in the middle of a charge, and thus unable to dodge.

"YEAH! SASUKE! KICK NARUTO-BAKA'S ASS!" Sakura screamed shattering everybody's eardrums. Sasuke, startled by the noise, looked over, and Naruto emerged from the Jutsu, using a Rasengan to forge a path, and stopped just short of Sasuke's chest, just before he plowed into his heart.

"I win." Naruto smiled.

"Dammit." Sasuke cursed. He'd let Sakura distract him, and it had cost it the fight.

"W-what?!" Sakura asked, at a normal volume level. Ino, Kiba and Kurenai all had the same aghast look on their face. Kiba was the first to recover.

"Naruto's really strong isn't he?" Hinata nodded.

"As expected." Shino said. Everyone looked at him, but he refused to say more.

"H-how'd he beat Sasuke?" Ino whispered, not believing her eyes. Sasuke was the Rookie of the Year! Naruto was dead last. Falsely labeled perhaps, but still!

"When'd you guys get here?" Naruto asked, noticing Team 8.

"How'd you win?!" Sakura asked. Naruto shrugged.

"Strategy. If Sasuke can't see me, he can't defend. And the Rasengan is really powerful. I don't think a simple fire Justu's gonna stop it." He turned to Sasuke. "The only thing I can think of, that could beat the Rasengan, is maybe Kakashi-Sensei's Jutsu. That Chidori thing." Sasuke nodded. "Hinata-chan, what do you think. Chidori or Rasengan?" Hinata considered the options.

'I don't know. I'd have to see a demonstration."

"Where did you learn a Jutsu like that Naruto?" Kurenai asked.

"I taught myself! Well actually, ero-sennin helped, but that doesn't matter!" Kurenai shook her head.

"Did Kakashi teach you that? I swear, he's irresponsible!" Naruto shook his head.

"I taught myself!" He said indignantly. "Kakashi-Sensei isn't irresponsible! He may read a lot of porn, but he's a really good teacher!"

"No Genin can learn an A-class Jutsu!" Kurenai was unable to comprehend that Naruto was a genius in his own right. Naruto excelled when he had a goal to reach for, and his goal a the time had been to become better than his father, and in the process, had taught himself all his father's Jutsu.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ Naruto said. Immediately, hundreds of Naruto's crowded in the field, jostling for space. "How do you like my chakra stores?"

"Those can't be real!" She punched one, feeling contact, before it went up in a puff of smoke.

"Hey! That hurt!" Naruto cried, dispelling the rest of the clones. In the background, Ino and Sakura were whispering to each other, comparing Naruto to Sasuke, desperately trying to diminish Naruto in some way. "Look woman. I have Kage level stores, and I'm sure you know why." He said, patting his hidden seal. Kurenai nodded. "I taught myself! Why can't you believe that?!"

'Because Genin are Rookie Ninja!" Naruto shook his head.

"Why do you think Kakashi-Sensei put us into the Chunin Exams?!" He said. The others were watching this exchange with great interest. "And, why'd you let Sakura in? She has no skill as a ninja." Naruto pointed out. Thankfully Sakura wasn't paying attention. Kurenai sighed.

'Kiba and Shino are ready. It would a disservice to them if they were not allow to take part." She reached for her kunai holder, where a picture of her and Asuma was hidden. She used it to calm down. Naruto noticed that she'd reached for it many times during this conversation.

His hand flashed into his pocket, drawing a very specific kunai, and lazily threw it at Kurenai. Kurenai, unprepared for this action, barely dodged, and was quickly blinded by a yellow flash. She felt something brush her leg, and her kunai holder disappeared. When she was able to see again, Team 7 and 10 were giggling, looking at a very specific picture. Kurenai quickly snatched it away, irked, but if you looked closely, you could tell she was blushing.

"Naruto? What was that Jutsu?" She asked, very methodical. Naruto grinned.

"What do you think?" And he bolted away before she could give an answer.

Naruto went back home. His clones were still training on the earth technique Kakashi had used on Sasuke.

' _If I could do that, I wouldn't ever have to fight again!'_ Naruto had thought. He'd asked Kakashi to teach him, but Kakashi had declined, saying "You need to learn some lower class Jutsu before that." and had then taught him a D-rank Jutsu that let Naruto throw stones at his enemies. Naruto didn't like it, it wasn't that powerful, so he was trying to teach himself using his limited knowledge of Earth Jutsu.

' _I remember that training ground 44 has a lot of trees. We're probably going to end up staying in there for a long time. I'd better pack.'_ He thought. He set up many sealed scrolls, filling each with kunai, shuriken, water, provisions, and medical supplies. Hopefully it would be enough. He decided to tuck in early for the night. He didn't want any surprises tomorrow.

He woke up to the sound of his gatebell. Huh?" He asked groggily, before shouting out "Come in!" Naruto didn't fully understand the seals. People wrang the bell, and an alarm sounded in his house. If he said "come in" the gate would open. If he didn't the gate didn't open. He didn't know how it worked, it just did.

"Naruto-kun? Can I come in?" He heard.

"Hinata?"

"Yes." He hastily got dressed before flinging the door open. She looked at him, and turned away, her face steaming red. Naruto checked himself. He'd forgotten to put on a shirt.

"Sorry, Hinata-chan. Give me a sec'." He went back inside and put on a simple black t-shirt. "Alright, Hinata-chan! I'm decent!" She came in, checking to make sure, her face very red. He laughed sheepishly. "What did you need?" Hinata shook her head, as if to clear her mind.

"I wanted to talk about my father." Naruto stopped smiling. These conversations never went well.

"What'd he do?" He asked darkly.

"Nothing, I just wanted to talk. Sometimes he acts like a father, and I don't knowhow to respond!" He could see that she was very confused.

"Can you give an example?"

"Yesterday, I was sparring against my sister, and I won."

"That's great Hinata-chan!" He interrupted.

"Thanks, but after I beat her, he smiled like he was proud of me, but as soon as that happened, a council member walked by, and he berated me for taking this long to beat my younger sister!"

"Okay?" Naruto said. ' _How does that work. He acted like a proud parent, but then he berated her. That's not what parents are supposed to do. Right?'_ Naruto's mind puzzled away at the enigma, and Hinata waited for him to figure something out. "Could you give another example?"

Umm...That day he found out I was with you, he warned me privately that I shouldn't be seen with you, but a council member overheard, and father ordered "familial training"." She said.

' _So both times the council member showed up and Hiashi-teme changed...All I can think of is that he wants to care, but has to conform to the clan rules. Maybe it'll cheer up Hinata.'_ "I think that...that he wants to be a father, but the council limits him." She stared at him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that he loves you, like a father should, but he has an image to keep up as the clan leader, and he can't do that by being a good father." He looked at Hinata's face. "Look. He was proud of you until the council member showed up, right?" she nodded. "But the afterwards, he was cold and harsh in front of the council. Like he doesn't want them to know that he cares."

"But why?"

"Because if they saw that he cared for the so called "failure" of the clan, they would see him as a weak leader. You know, thinking about it like this, he's probably the only reason you aren't branded." he said, referring to the curse mark. She flinched, and brushed her forehead. Naruto turned to his clock. "What the hell! How long did I sleep?!" He asked.

"Um...I was supposed to come and find you actually, we were waiting for you!"

"I have roughly six minutes to eat and get dressed. Kami…" Naruto grabbed a ration bar, and quickly choked it down. Ugh...I hate those." He shooed Hinata out of the room, and proceeded to get dressed. He wore an orange shirt, which reached his thighs, and black pants with his kunai holder on his right knee, scrolls on his left. He checked his Forehead Protector, and decided that he'd wear his special cloak. Time for the Genin with an S-class mission to make an even bigger impression.

Hinata looked at him as they ran to the training ground, which wasn't that far away from his house. "Why're you wearing that?" He shrugged.

"I gotta keep an image. They already know that I've had an S-class mission, now I just need to cement the fact that I'm better than them." He giggled, he was going to mess with their minds _so_ much. Hinata ignored it. Naruto had his quirks, and she liked all of them.

"There you are, they're just about to start!" Sasuke said. Anko looked over.

"You there, in the back, be quiet!" Naruto grumbled.

"Alright, you old hag." He felt a sudden pain in his cheek as a kunai whipped by. Stunned, he ran his finger across the wound, drawing back blood. His wound steamed, and closed. The people around him were already disturbed by his clothing, and now they were seeing hyper regeneration. He grinned, and even Anko was slightly disturbed. "Hah, a kunai won't hurt me."

He felt a something slimy on his shoulder, and turning to it, he could see the previously thrown kunai slithering back on a tongue? ' _What the…'_ He glanced back, and saw a creepy woman with a _very_ long tongue offering the kunai to Anko. "Your kunai?" Her voice sounded like snakes had learned to speak in perfect harmony.

"Thanks." She took it, undisturbed by the tongue. She licked it. "Oh, your blood tastes good kid." He grinned.

"I know." The rest of the teams were seriously freaked out, the kid in orange was obviously mentally disturbed. On the inside, Naruto was just as shocked. He wasn't usually this brave about this. Anko cursed, her tactics weren't working on the kid. She turned away, giving up on scaring him.

"Alright kids! This is Training Ground 44, otherwise known as "The Forest of Death"!" The Genin looked at her.

"It can't be that bad!" Said a ninja from Kumo. Anko grinned.

"There are giant snakes and insects in there, waiting to feed on flesh. And that's what the second part of the exams are! A survival test!"

"Huh?"

"Each team gets one of two scrolls! There is a tower, ten miles from the outside of the perfectly circular Forest! To pass this exam, you need both scrolls! You have five days to get both scrolls to the tower!" she said, holding up five fingers. She took out a scroll. "Don't open either one until you've reached the middle!" She stopped talking, and people assumed they were supposed to line up and collect a scroll.

Team 7 lined up behind Team 8, where Sakura was staring at Sasuke, making all of them really uncomfortable, including her own teammates. Thankfully, they made it to the front without a Sakura incident.

"Team 7, Heaven scroll." A Chunin said, handing them a white scroll, with 'Heaven' on the outside. Team 7 got their assigned gate, and departed with a Chunin, just before Sakura reached them.

"Ready guys?" Sasuke and Hinata nodded. They had elected to give Naruto the scrolls so that the others could use their eyes without checking themselves. The Chunin raised his hands, and the gate opened to reveal a dark forest.

"Go!" All 27 teams rushed into the forest with only one goal in mind. Get a scroll, and get to the center as fast as possible.

* * *

Team 7 rushed forward, trying to get as close to the tower as possible. They already had a plan, be near the tower and ambush a team on the way into the tower, while defending themselves against others with the same plan. Hinata activated her Byakugan periodically, checking for enemy ninja. No one approached. Naruto had scared them all away.

"This is boring…" Naruto said as they bounced through the trees.

"Dobe." Naruto looked at him.

"What? I just want a good fight!"

"A fight here is life or death! And I don't want to die!" Sasuke and Naruto argued for a solid 10 minutes. Hinata sighed inwardly. Suddenly, her eyes caught movement of a massive chakra signature, coiled up in what appeared to be a rope?

"Guys!" She called out. Just then a massive snake tore through the foliage behind them, chasing them down.

"Nevermind! Boring was good!" Naruto screamed. The snake narrowed its eyes, and doubled its speed. It quickly gained on them, even as they accelerated. "Dodge left!" Naruto commanded. Instantly, Team 7 changed directions, and the massive snake went barreling past. They paused to catch their breath.

"Ku ku ku. So you survived." Team 7 froze. The creepy woman from before was in the tree above them. "I would love to stay longer, but I only need the Uchiha." The woman said, pointing at Sasuke. Sasuke activated his eyes."Those eyes hold the key to all Jutsu. I need them." The woman was slowly lowering herself to their level.

"She has almost as much chakra as Naruto!" Hinata whispered. The boy's eyes widened. Naruto had Kage level chakra, and it was only going up. This lady had to be crazy powerful to even approach Naruto's chakra capacity.

"You're not a Genin, are you?" Naruto asked.

"Ku ku ku. I haven't been a Genin in a long time. I'm just here for the Uchiha, you don't matter." With a flick of his tongue, the snake appeared. All three Genin jumped, and Naruto rushed forward, ready to tear into the woman, only to be swallowed by the giant snake.

"Shit…"

"NARUTO!" Hinata cried out, as she watched him disappear into the maw. The snake shivered, and turned tail, presumably to digest Naruto in peace. Hinata slumped to the ground. "Naruto...you can't die...not now…"

"Hinata! We can't focus on that right now! We have to get out of here!" Sasuke said, not taking his eyes of the woman.

"But, Naruto…" Hinata began to cry.

"Ku ku ku. Did you perhaps, care about the boy?" He appeared behind her, too fast for either one to see with their eyes. "It's too bad. It's already too late. Perhaps...if you'd been just a little stronger and braver...he would have lived." He whispered into her ear, his tongue slithering.

"Who are you?!" Sasuke asked, backing away.

"In this body, I am nobody, but in my original body, I was called Orochimaru. Now come, Uchiha. I worked with your brother for a few years. I can tell you anything you want." Sasuke faltered. "I just want you to come to me." Orochimaru said standing up. Hinata lay at his feet, shivering, unable to hear or care what happened.

* * *

Naruto was inside the stomach of the snake, he knew that much. He just wasn't sure how long it would take until he died. ' _Fuck! They still need me! How much time do I have?!'_ He observed his surroundings, barely any light coming through the snake's mouth. His feet were itching, and he could tell that digestion was happening. ' _I need to get out as fast as possible! How do I make it throw up?!'_ He thought for a moment, until his eyes lit up. He brought his hands together.

The snake slithered along, looking for a suitable place to sleep, when it suddenly felt very bloated. It paused, and the feeling got worse. It felt resistance in its throat. It refused to open its mouth, and that choice led to a gruesome death. The snake exploded as Naruto clones poured out. The corpse steamed, and lay still while the clones dispelled themselves, leaving a surprisingly clean Naruto. ' _I gotta get back!'_ He ran in what he hoped was the right direction.

He paused when he heard the sounds of fighting to his right. He moved to the sound, and saw a very beat-up Sasuke, fighting the creepy woman, who seemed to be very amused. Hinata was curled on the ground, not moving.

' _Why isn't she moving?! Is she dead?!'_ Questions raced through Naruto's mind, and slowly, the cloak overtook his body. " **DIE!"** Naruto flung himself at the woman, who dodged very easily.

"You're alive!" Sasuke shouted with glee. He was very beat up from fighting Orochimaru, who hadn't even broken a sweat.

" **What'd he do to Hinata?"** Naruto asked, a second tail appearing. Sasuke gulped.

"He...he said something to her, I don't know what!" He recoiled at the look on Naruto's face. "She hasn't moved since." Naruto growled. He prepared to launch himself at the woman. "Wait! He's Orochimaru, the snake Sannin! You can't beat him, even with the Kyuubi!" Naruto flinched.

" **You...you're the one who did all those experiments?! Your work is disgusting!"** Images raced through Naruto's head, all the bodies and jars he'd seen. " **I'll KILL YOU!"** A third tail appeared, and Naruto lost control.

" _ **Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**_ Orochimaru said, slamming his hands into the ground. A snake of massive proportions, perhaps twice as large as the previous appeared in smoke. "Kill the demon boy!" Orochimaru commanded. Naruto ignored him, jumping onto a branch above Orochimaru. Naruto snarled, and pounced, claws extended. The snake dodged, but Naruto didn't let up. He slashed again, and the snake faltered. Naruto abused the opportunity and slashed into the snake's eye. It went up in a puff of smoke, and Orochimaru leaped up into a tree.

"So you've released the Kyuubi?" Orochimaru said. "Let's see how powerful you really are!" Naruto snarled, and smashed into the tree Orochimaru stood on. The tree collapsed under him, and Orochimaru moved on to the next tree. Naruto continued his path of destruction, while Orochimaru laughed the entire time. "You're a troublesome little squirt, aren't you?" Naruto growled.

" _ **What'd you do to Hinata?"**_

"So this girl is the key...I wonder what would happen if I took her with me?" He asked.

" _ **YOU WON'T TOUCH HINATA! I'LL KILL YOU!"**_ Naruto brought his hands together, which was a considerable feat since he was still crouched on the ground. Two clones of Naruto appeared, just as demonic as the original.

"Ku ku ku. So you still have some of your old Jutsu?" He was interrupted when one of the clones slashed at his side, drawing blood, he easily dispelled the clone, and when the other clone and the real Naruto attacked, he dispatched them too. Naruto slid across the branch, stopping just shy of the trunk. "I don't need you now!" Orochimaru screamed, his calm facade lost to his rage. Naruto stood. Orochimaru brought his hand up.

" **Everyone dies…"** Obviously, Naruto had lost control, but his attention was taken by Orochimaru. Naruto pounced at Orochimaru, who brought his hand right onto the seal, hitting Naruto mid flight.

" _ **Five Pronged Seal!"**_ Naruto screamed. His eyes turned blue again, and he faltered. Orochimaru threw him to the side, where he hit the tree and fell down, too exhausted to stand again.

"Ugh…" Naruto groaned. "I'm...gonna...kill you...Oro-rochimaru." Naruto said, his throat raspy. Orochimaru laughed, before turning back to Sasuke.

"Now...I need you to come with me." Sasuke shook his head. "You don't have a choice."

"Leave my friends alone."

"Ku ku ku. You believe that they are your friends? You have an Uchiha to kill! I can grant you the power to do that."

"No! They are my friends, and teammates. My brother is somewhere out there, but my friends will help me find him. You just want my eyes!" Orochimaru snarled.

"Then I'll force you to come!" Suddenly, Orochimaru's neck extended much too far, all the way to Sasuke's neck. He bit down, and Sasuke's entire body began to burn.

"AH!" Sasuke cried out. Everything hurt, he felt the spot on his neck that Orochimaru had bitten. He felt it something spin, before his sight began to fail. His knees faltered, and he began to feel his mind succumb to the pain. Orochimaru drew away, content with his handiwork.

"Let's see if you survive."

" _ **Five Pronged Seal Release!"**_ Orochimaru spun, to see Naruto standing again, bringing his hand away from his stomach. He had ripped part of his shirt away, and the seal shown brilliantly against his skin. "What'd did you do to Sasuke?" You could hear the exhaustion in his voice. He couldn't muster the effort to yell. He couldn't even get angry anymore. He felt pitiful.

Orochimaru cursed. Administering the seal required massive amounts of chakra, and even he felt the drain. Now, the Jinchuuriki brought his hands together, into his signature seal.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ 200 clones appeared. However, all of them were looking tired, unable to move nearly as fast as normal. "Get'm" he commanded. The clones charged, slowly. Orochimaru dispatched many of them, before being overwhelmed by their numbers. He performed the Kawarimi Jutsu, escaping the dwindling clones. He only needed to seal Sasuke. The seal would bring the Uchiha to him. He turned tail and ran, knowing that almost all ANBU were hot on his trail.

Naruto dispelled his clones, needing as much energy as possible. He went to Hinata, who was still curled in the clearing, unmoving. Sasuke lay next to her, shuddering, as a strange light came from his neck.

"Hinata…" he shook her, she mumbled. "Hinata…"

"He's dead…" Hinata mumbled. Naruto shook her harder.

"Hinata…" She didn't reply.

"He's dead, and he's never coming back..." She muttered. He braced himself.

"Hinata!" He rasped, as loud as he could. He felt his throat give out. She jumped, her pale, lavender eyes shining with tears. Her eyes darted around, first to Sasuke, then to the wreckage from the fight, then finally settling on Naruto's face.

"You're just an illusion...Leave me alone…" Her voice was quiet. He shook his head. He opened his mouth, trying to tell her that he was real, and Orochimaru was gone, but no sound came out. He persisted in shaking her, but she looked away.

"Leave me alone…" He shook his head. "LEAVE ME ALONE!' Hinata slapped him, and he staggered, falling over. He curled up in pain. He had to get through to Hinata. He reached into his pocket, searching for anything that could help. His cloak was tattered, mostly dissolved from the stomach acid in the snake. He shouldn't have brought it with him. He pulled out a kunai. He shakily rose to his knees, and moved back to Hinata.

"Hinata." he drew in the dirt. "It's me. I'm real." Hinata shook her head. "You have to believe me. I can't speak." She shook her head again. "I remember my first birthday with you. You came to my house." He wrote as fast as he could. "You gave me my toad wallet. It was the first birthday I didn't spend alone. I was so happy." He looked up. Hinata was staring at the words, then to him. Tentatively she asked.

"Naruto?" He nodded. She froze, and then proceeded to collapse in on herself, crying her heart out. He comforted her to the best of his ability. She cried into the darkening forest, as the sun went down. "I thought you died!" She cried into his shoulder. He shook his head.

Eventually, her tears tapered away. She looked at him, a beautiful smile adorning her face. "I'm glad you're alive." He nodded, as if to say "I'm glad too." He pulled away from her, moving to Sasuke. Hinata moved behind him. Together, without saying a word, they picked him up, and dragged him into the forest.

They finally stopped when the sun had set. They were in a small clearing, where a tall hollowed tree would provide them shelter. "I'll take first watch." Hinata said. Naruto shook his head. "Naruto, look at yourself. You used too much chakra." Naruto relented, knowing that it was true. He was dead on his feet, but he felt like it was his responsibility. If he hadn't been swallowed by the snake, things could have gone better off. He lay down next to Sasuke, who was shuddering in his sleep, the seal glowing and spinning. Naruto tried to fall asleep, but he was too exhausted to do so. He just lay in the stump, unable to calm down. He couldn't even think anymore. He closed his eyes.

*bumbf* Naruto opened his eyes to the sound of something hitting the ground. He hadn't fallen asleep. Fumbling for a kunai, he exited the tree. He found Hinata curled up on the ground, sleeping. He sighed, and carried her into the tree. He was going to have to be the strong one here. He resolved himself to never, _ever,_ let his guard down. Even if he didn't sleep once.

* * *

 **Please Rate & Review**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys. Valentines day is coming...and I'm all alone. :( But whatever. I hope you guys like it. I'm also going to show the stats of the current characters. They will be ranked in order of power through 7 categories. Chakra Reserves, Stamina, Restoration, NinJutsu, GenJutsu, Taijutsu, and Projectile. The ranking goes:**

 **Null: No skill whatsoever.**

 **Civilian: Miniscule. Barely able to perform E-class Jutsu. Low stamina. Requires much rest after exertion. No Fighting skills**

 **Academy Student: Able to perform E-class Jutsu. Low Stamina. Requires much rest. Low Fighting Skills.**

 **Genin: Able to perform D-class Jutsu with ease, and a small amount of C-class Jutsu. Low Stamina. Requires ample rest after exertion. Low Fighting Skills.**

 **Chunin: Able to perform most C and B-class Jutsu with ease. Normal Stamina. Requires ample rest. Good Fighting Skills.**

 **Jounin: Able to perform A-class Jutsu well. High Stamina. Requires ample rest. Great Fighting Skills.**

 **ANBU: S-class. High Stamina. Ample rest. Great Fighting Skills.**

 **Sannin: S-class. High Stamina. Low rest. Great Fighting Skills.**

 **Kage: Multiple S-class Jutsu. High Stamina. Low rest. Phenomenal Fighting Skills.**

 **High Kage: Special S-class Jutsu (i.e. Hiraishin, Wood Release etc) High Stamina. Low rest. Phenomenal Fighting Skills.**

 **Bijuu: Massive. Miniscule rest. Massive Stamina. Destructive Fighting Skills.**

 **Sage: Practically Infinite Reserves. Almost no rest. Top-Tier Stamina. Top-Tier Fighting Skills**

 **Okay. Now you know the rankings. Below is the list of current characters through all the seven categories.**

* * *

 **Number 1: Chakra Reserves**

 **Null: Rock Lee**

 **Civilian: All civilians**

 **Academy: Sakura Haruno**

 **Genin: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Kiba Inuzuka, Choji Akamichi**

 **Chunin: Sasuke Uchiha, Shino Aburame, Tenten, Neji Hyuuga, Hinata Hyuuga, Kankuro**

 **Jounin: Kurenai Yuuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Temari, Maito Gai, Kabuto**

 **ANBU: Kakashi Hatake, Itachi Uchiha**

 **Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Gaara, Most Uzumaki**

 **Kage: Naruto Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tobirama Senju, Minato Namikaze**

 **High Kage: Hashirama Senju, Obito Uchiha**

 **Bijuu: Madara Uchiha**

 **Sage: Sage of Six Paths**

 **Number 2: Stamina**

* * *

 **Civilian: Sakura Haruno**

 **Academy: Most Students**

 **Genin: Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, Shino Aburame, Kankuro**

 **Chunin: Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Neji Hyuuga, Tenten, Temari, Gaara, Shikamaru Nara, Kabuto**

 **Jounin: Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yuuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Rock Lee, Sasuke Uchiha**

 **ANBU: Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha**

 **Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Maito Gai**

 **Kage: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze, Tobirama Senju**

 **High Kage: Kushina Uzukami, Madara Uchiha, Most Uzumaki**

 **Bijuu: Hashirama Senju, Naruto Namikaze**

 **Sage: Sage of Six Paths**

* * *

 **Number 3: Restoration**

 **Civilian: Most Civilians**

 **Academy: Most Students**

 **Genin: Sakura Haruno, Choji Akimichi, Kiba Inuzuka, Shikamaru Nara, Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuuga, Ino Yamanaka, Tenten**

 **Chunin: Sasuke Uchiha, Neji Hyuuga, Kankuro, Temari, Kabuto**

 **Jounin: Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yuuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Itachi Uchiha**

 **ANBU: Maito Gai, Rock Lee**

 **Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru**

 **Kage: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tobirama Senju, Obito Uchiha**

 **High Kage: Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, Hasirama Senju, Madara Uchiha, Most Uzumaki**

 **Bijuu: Naruto Namikaze**

 **Sage: Sage of Six Paths**

* * *

 **Number 4: Ninjutsu**

 **Null: Lee**

 **Civilian: Sakura Haruno**

 **Academy: Kiba Inuzuka**

 **Genin: Hinata Hyuuga, Shikamaru Nara, Neji Hyuuga, Kankuro, Tenten, Choji Akimichi, Shino Aburame**

 **Chunin: Temari, Gaara, Ino Yamanaka**

 **Jounin: Naruto Namikaze, Sasuke Uchiha, Kurenai Yuuhi, Maito Gai**

 **ANBU: Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Most Uzumaki**

 **Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha**

 **Kage: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kushina Uzumaki, Orochimaru**

 **High Kage: Minato Namikaze, Tobirama Senju**

 **Bijuu: Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha**

 **Sage: Sage of Six Paths**

* * *

 **Number 5: Genjutsu**

 **Null: Lee**

 **Academy: Sakura Haruno, Naruto Namikaze, Gaara**

 **Genin: Hinata Hyuuga, Neji Hyuuga, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Kankuro, Temari, Tenten, Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, Choji Akimichi**

 **Chunin: Sasuke Uchiha, Kushina Uzumaki, Most Uzumaki**

 **Jounin: Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi**

 **ANBU: Kurenai Yuuhi, Obito Uchiha**

 **Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru**

 **Kage: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Itachi Uchiha, Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Minato Namikaze**

 **High Kage: Madara Uchiha**

 **Bijuu: All Bijuu**

 **Sage: Sage of Six Paths**

* * *

 **Number 6: Taijutsu**

 **Civilian: Sakura Haruno**

 **Academy: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Shino Aburame**

 **Genin: Choji Akimichi, Tenten, Gaara, Temari, Kankuro,**

 **Chunin: Kiba Inuzuka, Naruto Namikaze, Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuuga, Kurenai Yuuhi**

 **Jounin: Neji Hyuuga, Asuma Sarutobi, Kakashi Hatake, Most Uzumaki**

 **ANBU: Rock Lee, Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha, Kushina Uzumaki**

 **Sannin: Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Maito Gai**

 **Kage: Tsunade, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tobirama Senju,**

 **High Kage: Minato Namikaze, Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha**

 **Bijuu: All Bijuu**

 **Sage: Sage of Six Paths**

* * *

 **Finally, Number 7: Projectile**

 **Civilian: Rock Lee**

 **Academy: Sakura Haruno**

 **Genin: Naruto Namikaze, Hinata Hyuuga, Neji Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, Gaara, Temari**

 **Chunin: Kankuro, Shikamaru Nara, Sasuke Uchiha, Maito Gai**

 **Jounin: Tenten, Kakashi Hatake, Most Uzumaki**

 **ANBU: Kurenai Yuuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha, Kushina Uzumaki**

 **Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru**

 **Kage: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tobirama Senju**

 **High Kage: Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju**

 **Bijuu: Minato Namikaze**

 **Sage: Sage of Six Paths**

 **Holy shit that took a long time to write. If you want to see the rankings overall, the last listing is at the bottom of the page.**

* * *

 _Naruto's POV_

Naruto was sitting by the tree, trying his hardest to fall asleep. It had been hours since he'd dragged Hinata into the tree. He'd eaten a ration bar, barely making him feel any better. And he'd been horrified to see that their 'Heaven' Scroll had dissolved into a lump of goo. Probably from the snake. So now Team 7 was trapped in the woods, and had four days to find both a Heaven and Earth scroll. One of them was incapacitated from a seal, one of them was exhausted, and the only one who wasn't injured or tired was currently sleeping. Naruto didn't blame Hinata. It had surprised him however, when he'd learned that Hinata had frozen up when she thought he'd died. ' _She really cares too much.'_ He thought.

"Some ninja you are! You're weak!" Naruto slowly turned his head, and saw a team from Otogakure, a new village, standing at the edge of the clearing. He stood, feeling his muscles ache, sore from his earlier fight.

"Let's kill em Dosu." One with spiky black hair said to a hulking figure covered in bandages.

"Wait, Zaku. We're here for the Uchiha." The apparent leader said. The girl at his side scoffed.

"Look at em" she said, pointing at Naruto. "He'd already dead on his feet, let's just finish the job."

"We're here for the Uchiha, Kin. We do not need expend any unnecessary energy." Naruto knew that he wouldn't win, but hopefully he'd wake Hinata up from the sounds of a fight. While the leader was distracted, he rushed forward at a fraction of his usual speed, fist cocked back in an obvious punch. Dosu held up his hand, and Naruto's world spun. Everything was tinged grin, and Naruto's stomach began to churn, eventually expelling the little food he had.

"W-what-t d-did you d-do?" Naruto asked, keeling. His voice was raspy, barely healed.

"I can control sound. I just moved your inner ear a bit." Naruto's mind scrambled for a way to fight that. He couldn't think of one. He gave up, and worked through the nausea, charging again. Dosu held out his hand again, but Naruto soldiered on, close and closer, until Dosu was forced to do melee.

Dosu simply backhanded Naruto, who was thrown back into the tree, landing on top of Hinata. "Eep!" She yelped, waking. She blushed when she realized how close Naruto was, but immediately saw his pain, and crawled out from under him.

"He-he can control sound." Naruto said, trying to keep his muscles from exploding. Hinata nodded, her teammates were depending on her. She rushed out the tree to see three people conversing with each other.

"Stop!" She commanded. They turned to her. Zaku smiled.

"Another one. After her comes the Uchiha." He said. His teammates nodded.

" _ **Byakugan!"**_ Hinata activated her eyes, and the world dissolved into blue and gray. She saw that the team from sound didn't have particularly big reserves, and to her horror, Naruto's were practically empty. But the most concerning was Sasuke's, who seemed to be doing battle with the seal, a dark chakra seeping into his stream, and his normal chakra trying to defend against it.

Suddenly, a sudden burst of chakra appeared from the palm of the spiky-haired one. She dodged, and she felt it whiz past her, cutting through the air, before embedding itself in a tree, cutting a deep gash into the bark.

"How'd she see that!" He asked.

"She's a Hyuuga, Zaku." Dosu said. "She can see chakra." The girl moved forward.

"Then we just use weapons." She flicked her wrist, and four senbon stabbed Hinata in her arms.

"Ah!" Hinata screamed. She dropped her arms, struggling to move them.

"See, Dosu?"

"Yes Kin." He shuffled. "Let's finish this." He held out his hand.

"Stop!" All four of them turned to the new voice. Team 10 emerged from the side, walking toward them, led by a surprisingly alert Shikamaru. "You fight me!"

The team from Oto laughed. "What do you think you can do against us?" Shikamaru raised his hands into a seal. HIs shadow raced across the ground, trapping Dosu in his Shadow Possession Technique.

"That. Choji, get the guy. Ino, stop the girl." They nodded.

Ino charged at Kin, who smirked, and threw some senbon, which Ino jumped over, still rushing at Kin. Kin backed away, throwing more Senbon, this time much to for spread for Ino to dodge. Ino jumped behind the cover of a tree, and the senbon passed by. She held up her hands.

" _ **Shintenshin no Jutsu!"**_ Ino shouted, before slumping over. Kin jumped away.

"Shit!' Shikamaru said.

"What happened?" Hinata asked, nursing her arms.

"She tried to take control of the girls body, but now her consciousness is somewhere out there. She won't be back for a while." Hinata's eyes widened.

"So weak." Kin said, before turning to Zaku. "How's the fatty!"

"I'm not FAT!" Choji screamed, enraged. He swung his arm at Zaku, who simply backed up, letting Choji swing at air.

" _ **Decapitating Airwaves!"**_ Zaku said, and a blast of air traveled directly at Choji. It hit Choji in the side. Choji grunted.

" _ **Multi-Size Technique: Human Bullet Tank!"**_ Choji's body bloated to a size at least three times taller than Zaku. He began to spin on the ground, ripping up grass and dirt. The massive rolling ball of flesh charged at Zaku, who attempted to use his airwaves to stop Choji, but it failed and Zaku had to nobly hide.

"Stop moving!" Choji yelled, turning around to take a second spin. In the short time where, Choji wasn't rolling around like a wrecking ball, Zaku slashed Choji, causing the Jutsu to deteriorate, and Choji to return to his normal size. Zaku hit him one more time, and Choji flew backwards, unconscious.

' _This is troublesome! Ino's gone, Choji's out, and I'm running low on chakra. How am I supposed to win now?'_ Shikamaru asked himself. Zaku and Kin were rushing forwards, aiming to take out Shikamaru.

"YOSH!" The sound, reverberated out of the forest.

"What the-"

"THIS IS MOST UNYOUTHFUL! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO FIGHT SASUKE'S TEAMMATES WHILE THEY ARE DOWN!" A blur of green emerged from the foliage, and paused in front of the Oto team, between them and Shikamaru. Shikamaru let his shadow binding Jutsu down, unable to maintain in.

Dosu flexed his fingers, his body under his control once again. Shikamaru backed away, putting more space between Dosu and him.

"And you are…"

"I AM ROCK LEE, THE MOST YOUTHFUL STUDENT KONOHA HAS EVER SEEN!" Everybody sweatdropped. Lee dropped into his stance. 'I will defeat you." He said in a much softer voice.

"You're still a Konoha ninja." Kin said. Lee narrowed his eyes.

"Wait, Lee, I can still fight." Hinata said, coming up behind him. She had removed the senbon from her arms, and, even though they were bleeding, she raised her arms up into her Juuken stance.

"I got her Dosu. Don't worry." Kin said, Dosu nodded, and Zaku and Dosu turned their attention to Lee.

"I got the weird kid." The team from Oto rushed forward, Zaku and Dosu focused on Lee, while Kin backed away, making sure Hinata's Juuken couldn't hit her, while shooting Senbon at the girl. Hinata activated her Byakugan, looking for weaknesses in her opponent. Apparently, her opponent had very small chakra reserves for her age.

Hinata danced towards her opponent, using her superior reflexes and flexibility to dodge oncoming Senbon. Kin cursed, trying to find an opening in her opponent's movements. Hinata dodged another Senbon, before rushing at Kin.

"Eventually, you'll run out of Senbon. What'll you do then?" HInata asked.

Dosu was struggling with Lee, he couldn't seem to hit the kid with his sound attacks. Lee appeared at Dosu's side, landing a firm hit on the boy. Dosu recoiled moving up a tree, away from the green clad Genin. Lee backed off, unable to climb the tree without gathering speed beforehand. Dosu grinned, he knew how to stop Lee now.

Lee raced up the trunk, focused directly on his target. Dosu waited, before releasing a blast of sound, and Lee fumbled, falling back down the tree, landing in a heap. He vomited, completely at the mercy of Dosu. Zaku came forward, and cut into Lee's body.

Kin had finally run out of Senbon, and Hinata moved forward, intent on shutting the girl down. One hit. Two hits. Three hits. Hinata shut down Tenketsu after Tenketsu, and Kin was at the mercy of the Hyuuga. Hinata continued to strike Kin, until, with her Byakugan, she saw the blast of air approaching, and she was forced to jump away. Kin collapsed, obviously in pain.

Hinata turned to her new opponents, sinking into her Juuken stance. Dosu and Zaku moved closer, obviously wary of her Taijutsu. Hinata spotted movement from inside the tree.

"SASUKE!" Naruto yelled from inside the tree. Sasuke came barreling out the tree, Naruto limping behind him. Sasuke was surrounded by a purple chakra, which gave off a perverted feeling. His Sharingan was active, but his left eye was tinted a strange color. Black flame markings spread across his body, and he smiled, and evil smile. The same smile as Orochimaru.

"It's the Uchiha! Let's go!' Zaku shouted, launching an attack at the said ninja.

"No, stop!" Zaku ignored the order, and moved forward, aiming to decapitate Sasuke. Sasuke just grinned, and it a flash, he had Zaku writhing on the floor, his arms twisted behind him at a painful angle.

" **You like your arms...I should remove them."** Sasuke said, a maniacal grin on his face. " **Goodbye."** Sasuke twisted and pulled, and Zaku began to scream, until, with a sickening pop, his arms left his sockets, but Sasuke wasn't done. He grabbed Zaku's forearm, and twisted it, until his elbow shattered. He did the same to the other hand. Zaku lay on the ground, a quivering, whimpering mess of broken bones. Sasuke turned to Dosu, who, after glancing at his teammates, tentatively reached for his scroll.

"Please, let us leave...You can have my scroll." Dosu lay his Earth scroll on the ground. When Sasuke didn't react, he slung his teammates over his shoulders, and quickly ran away, only trying to get as far as possible.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said. Sasuke looked at him, a faint recognition in his eyes. Hinata deactivated her Byakugan, approaching the Uchiha, while Shikamaru went over to check his teammates.

"Sasuke?" Sasuke shuddered, and the black markings flared, before retreating across his skin, culminating in the seal on his shoulder.

"Ugh" Sasuke fell to his knees, feeling very weak after that. Naruto stretched, trying to work the feeling back into his muscles. He was sore, so very sore. But he would keep soldiering on.

"Oww...Why'd I do that?" Sasuke asked, gripping the seal. Hinata reactivated her Byakugan, checking the seal. The black chakra had integrated itself into SAsuke's chakra coils, but most was centered around the seal.

"The seal stopped attacking your chakra coils. You could've died." Hinata said. Sasuke looked up at her.

"What?"

"SASUKE!" Apparently, Ino was back in her body. Sasuke groaned, and Naruto moved between Team 7 and 10, acting as a mediator. "Let me check on Sasuke, Naruto-Baka!" Naruto shook his head.

"Sasuke is obviously recovering from that seal, and we were just through two big fights."

"What's happened here?" The two teams turned to the new voice, and saw Tenten and Neji enter the field. Tenten moved towards Lee, while Neji turned to Hinata, eyeing her wounds.

"You let an enemy hit your arms...you are even weaker than I thought." Naruto growled, but didn't have the energy to shout at him. Hinata ignored the jibe, but if you looked closely, you could see her shiver.

The teams talked amongst each other, which meant that Tenten and Shikamaru talked to Naruto, as Ino wouldn't have listened, and Neji wouldn't have even considered Naruto's words. Sasuke and Hinata had picked up the Earth scroll, and they were pretty pissed when they heard that their original scroll had dissolved. It turned out that both Team 9 and 10 had both scrolls, and Naruto had considered trying to take one, but realized that he was in no shape to be attacking a team from Konoha. The three teams split up, Team 9 and 10 moving towards the tower, while Team 7 went to find a team to steal from.

They'd talked amongst themselves, and realized that people had already had time to set traps at the tower, and it was probably too late to resort to their original plan.

"Orochimaru really threw off our plan...dammit." Sasuke said, sitting at a fire he'd produced. It was night again, and they hadn't spotted a single living team, but they had found several dead bodies, which they'd pilfered supply from.

"Yeah…" Naruto grunted, chewing into his snake. Hinata had found and killed the snake, while it had tried to sneak up on them. "I don't even care what it is, I just wish we had more to eat." His teammates nodded, staring at their own food. They ate slowly, with minimal conversation, each trying to strategize based on their limited knowledge.

"I'll take watch."

"No way Dobe. I was asleep all night. I'll take watch."

"I _said_ , I'll take watch!" Naruto raised his voice, something he rarely did. Hinata and Sasuke looked at each other. Naruto pointed at their sleeping bags, and they relented. When Naruto moved away, setting up a watch point, they turned to each other.

"What happened?"

"He hasn't slept at all. He's probably really irritable. I wouldn't push it." Hinata said. Sasuke shrugged, but inside, they were both scared for Naruto.

' _I shouldn't have screamed...I'm so tired.'_

" **Why don't you let me take over?"**

' _Do you think I'm stupid?!'_

" **Yes."** Naruto sighed, giving up on the conversation. Naruto considered using a Kage Bunshin, and trying to salvage some amount of sleep, but didn't want to take the risk of sleeping through his clone disappearing.

Naruto sat on a tree, surveying the surrounding, barely able to see through the foliage. He looked down at Sasuke and Hinata, cursing himself. ' _I shouldn't have made Hinata fight like that. Maybe Sasuke wouldn't have hurt the guy so bad…'_ Naruto lay down, staring up into the moon. He kept his ears open, listening for even the smallest sounds. All he heard was the deep breathing of the people sleeping below him.

The sky brightened as the sun rose on the third day of the 2nd stage. Naruto sat up, feeling slightly better, but he was still tired. Lack of sleep. He didn't even know why he didn't want to sleep. He just couldn't let himself sleep. Determination kept him up.

"Naruto?" He heard. Hinata was standing at the base of the tree, looking up at him. He jumped down, wincing at them pain that shot up his ankle. His muscles were stiff again.

"What'd you need, Hinata-Chan?" He grinned, closing his eyes so he couldn't see his exhaustion.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yeah!"

"Uuuun...Shut it, Dobe…" Sasuke said, shifting in his sleeping bag.

"You need to wake up Teme!" Naruto said, bounding over to Sasuke. Hinata observed Naruto, who definitely seemed more energetic, but his movements seemed a it labored. He hadn't slept.

"Okay...so we're gonna spend all day looking for some team with a heaven scroll, aren't we?" Sasuke and Hinata nodded. "Dammit, stupid snake…" Team 7 packed up, out to search for some unsuspecting team. The day was uneventful, and Naruto knew that they only had roughly 40 hours to find a team, or they'd fail. ' _No! I won't fail! I worked too hard to get to this point now!'_

"I'm taking watch." Naruto said, when the sun went down again.

"Dobe, you need to sleep. You can't fight at maximum like this." He gestured to Naruto's obvious exhaustion.

"DON'T...Just let me take watch…" Naruto walked up a nearby tree, ration bar in hand, before they could protest. ' _It was my fault that Orochimaru got Sasuke, so I gotta pay for it.'_ He ignored his teammates pleads. Eventually, they gave in, and Naruto was left alone again. ' _I just gotta take care of them…'_

Naruto slumped against the tree, listening to the sounds around him. It was quiet, with only the occasional rustle.

"I smell food, there has got to be a team over there." Naruto jumped. He'd picked up a conversation, coming from the foliage, roughly 30 feet away. He bolted down the tree.

"Guys, wake up. I hear some team coming." He shook his teammates awake.

"Hey! there they are!" A feminine voice shouted. His teammates jumped to their feet.

"You woke 'em up, Sakura!"

"Don't blame me dog breath!" Team 7 sweat dropped. Of all the teams to meet, it had to be Team 8.

"It would not be optimal to attack now. They are alert." Naruto heard. Team 8 walked into the clearing, completely unprepared. Sakura and Kiba were arguing, while Shino stood behind them.

"Uh, Sakura?" Naruto said. She turned.

"SASUKE!" She bounded forward, but, Naruto held her back. No doubt that Sakura would never leave Sasuke alone.

"What scroll do you have?" Naruto asked. Sakura looked at him.

"Why would I tell you that, Naruto-Baka?!" Naruto sighed.

"Sasuke."

"What scroll do you have?" Sasuke asked.

"Earth." She replied, promptly.

"Sakura!" Kiba yelled.

"What! Sasuke asked me!" Hinata stepped forward. Shino, Kiba and Akamaru flinched.

"Don't worry, we have Earth too." They boys relaxed.

"Dammit, now we have to find another team." Kiba said. "Let's go Sakura."

"I propose that we team up." Shino said. Everybody looked at him.

"Huh?"

"I am on a team of trackers, while Naruto and company, are an assault team. If we were to work together, I believe it could be mutually beneficial."

"Yeah, I guess...What'd you think, Hinata-Chan?"

"Maybe...Sasuke?"

"As long as you keep Sakura under control, I agree."

Team 7 and 8 began to strategize. Obviously, most teams were waiting around the tower, and it would be dangerous to look for a Heaven scroll there. But, as it was nearing the end of the Chunin exams, people would be closer to the tower anyway. The teams mobilized. Kiba out front, followed by Sasuke and Naruto. Hinata behind them, with Shino and Sakura in the back.

By noon they had spotted the tower, and several teams patrolling. They backed off, not willing to try something so risky. They ended up breaking for dinner roughly 2 miles away from the tower. They only had one day until the end of the exams.

They all retired to their sleeping bags, all except Naruto. ' _One more day. That's all we have…'_ He heard a growl. Akamaru was sitting up, growling at something in the trees. Kiba shuffled.

"Kiba...Akamaru's growling." Naruto shook him.

"Huh…" He sniffed the air. "Smells like iron...and blood!" Naruto and Kiba shook their teammates awake. Shino sat up quickly, making you even wonder if he was asleep at all, Sasuke and Hinata groaned, before sitting up and activating their eyes.

"One team...Kiri nin." Hinata said.

"Why'd you wake me up, Kiba-Baka!" The Kiri team sprinted towards them.

"God dammit Sakura!" Team 7 and Team 8 stood ready, waiting for the team to show. Sure enough, a team emerged from between the trees. Two of them held blood coated swords, while the leader, this hulking figure of flesh, held a sledgehammer.

"A little team from Konoha." Then they spotted Hinata and Sasuke. "And they have a Doujutsu...Konoha's soft. Bloodlines should be purged."

"That doesn't matter right now. Leave." Naruto commanded. Light began to shine into the clearing. The sun had risen again.

"I'm afraid we can't do that. You see, we need an Earth scroll, and we only have a couple more hours."

"We have a Heaven." Sasuke lied.

Then we'll just weed out the competition." The Kiri ninja readied their weapons, and Team 7 and 8 prepared for a fight.

They split up, two on one. Kiba and Sasuke, Hinata and Shino, Sakura and Naruto. The Kiri ninja charged, and Naruto met the leader head on.

Hinata and Shino had, by far, the easiest fight. The girl they were fighting didn't seem to have any special abilities, and her chakra stores were fairly small. Shino's bugs trapped her, and Hinata delivered devastating blows, knocking the girl unconscious.

Sasuke and Kiba leapt to engage their enemy, who hefted a longsword at them.

"Hyaah!" He swung the sword downwards, directly at Sasuke's head. Sasuke quickly jumped left. This was much less intimidating than Zabuza. Kiba was creeping up behind the guy, waiting for Sasuke to create an opening. He and Akamaru had already become Man-Beast Doppelgangers, and they just needed a solid blow with Gatsuuga.

The Kiri ninja began to flash through hand signs, and Sasuke became a perfect image of Kakashi, copying every hand sign in real time.

" _ **Water Style: Water Bullets!"**_

" _ **Water Style: Water Bullets!"**_ The two Jutsu clashed, neither overpowering the other.

" _ **Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"**_ A massive wall of flames traveled towards the Kiri nin, who barely had time to heft the sword up. The fire burned every part of his body that wasn't protected, namely, his feet and hands. The Kiri bounced around, holding his burns.

" _ **Gatsuuga: Fang over Fang!"**_ Kiba and Akamaru shot forward, tearing into the boys body. The boy was flipped backwards, blood flying everywhere. Akamaru turned back into a dog, his red coat slowly turning white. Kiba became less animalistic.

Sasuke walked over to the boy.

"I'll kill you…" The boy said. Sasuke grimaced, grabbing the boy's sword.

"Yeah, I'll kill you first." Sasuke swung the sword down, cutting into the boys neck. He couldn't let the team try and take revenge.

"SASUKE!" Sakura screamed. She'd watched the fight, and was horrified to see Sasuke kill. She'd never seen killing before. She'd never even considered the idea of having to kill before.

"You shouldn't have looked away!" The leader said, swinging his hammer down, intent on crushing her skull.

Sakura froze in fear, accepting that this was the end. No growing up to become Sasuke's wife. No making money. No future. And, in that moment, Sakura regret every decision she'd ever made, especially choosing to become a ninja.

A flash of yellow appeared before her eyes. "AGGGH!" Naruto screamed. He'd pushed Sakura away, but had his right leg crushed under the sledgehammer. He stumbled, losing his balance, and pitching forwards onto the ground. He couldn't feel his leg.

"N-na-naruto…" Sakura whispered, staring at his leg. He rolled over, onto his back.

"Do something! Sakura!" She didn't move.

"I'll just kill you first squirt!" He slammed the hammer down into Naruto's chest. Naruto tripped him, and the hammer lost momentum, and only knocked the wind out of Naruto, instead of crushing Naruto's lungs.

The boy got up. "Sakura!" Naruto cried. She obviously wasn't going to help. The hammer swung again. ' _ **Rasengan!"**_ Naruto brought a hand up, and the Rasengan absorbed the blunt of the impact, and Naruto struggled to keep the weight of the hammer off his face. Naruto's hand was dangerously close to touching his nose. ' _How! How do I get out of this!'_

He forced more chakra into the Rasengan, while trying his hardest to contain it in a sphere. Slowly, he began to overpower the boy. The hammer began to rise, away from Naruto's face. Naruto brought one finger up, forming a hand seal, all while forcing more chakra into the Rasengan.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ Several things happened. 7 Kage Bunshin appeared around the boy, all with a shattered leg, and Naruto, too focused on creating Bunshin, lost control of the Rasengan, which exploded into chakra, flaring out in all directions. The Sledgehammer was thrown backwards, over the boys head. The momentum dragged the boy backwards, and fell over, directly between two clones. Before the boy was able to gather his wits, he became a pincushion for a multitude of Kunai and Shuriken.

The original Naruto shakily dragged himself over to the boy, raising his hand, which now held one of his fathers special kunai. Eyes set, Naruto plunged the blade into the boys chest. The boy breathed in, before his eyes glazed over and he slumped over. Dead.

Naruto turned his attention to his injury, and promptly hurled. His leg was destroyed, a mess of blood and muscle. His bones were shattered, and blood was flowing freely. THe pain doubled, as Naruto became aware of how severe the wound was.

"Oh jeez…" Kiba said, before retreating behind a bush to vomit. Sakura was still staring, completely frozen. Sasuke and Hinata looked horrified, as if this was the worst they'd ever seen. Shino stood by impassively, but even he was looking green.

"Hey...Boss?" A clone said. "They had two heaven scrolls." He said holding up the scrolls. Naruto weakly grinned. "Score…" The clones evaporated. "Ah, fuck."

Sasuke was the first to recover. "How'd that happen, Dobe?" Naruto grimaced.

"Shino...take this." He threw a scroll at the boy, who didn't make an effort to catch it, and it dropped to his feet.

"Why…" Sakura said, shaking her head. "Why?" She shook faster. They ignored her.

"Go...Pass the exam...We'll be right behind you…"Naruto grinned.

"I do not believe what you have said is true." Shino said.

"You're not passing, Naruto." Kiba said, coming up behind Shino. "Not with that leg. I don't think you'll ever be a ninja again." Naruto shook his head.

"Don't worry about me…" Naruto panted. "Just go." Team 8 stood there for a moment, until, with a pointed glare from Naruto, Akamaru grabbed the scroll, Kiba grabbed Sakura, and Team 8 slowly walked out of the clearing.

"N-naruto! W-what about your leg!" Hinata yelled, jolting Naruto back.

"The fox…" Sasuke shook his head.

"What if it doesn't?"

"It will." Naruto turned inwards. "HEY! ARE YOU GONNA START HEALING OR WHAT!?"

" **And why should I?"** The fox raised its head.

"You want me to look weak?" The fox sighed.

" **Listen up, brat. You need to put the bones back into place. Then I'll heal it. It'll hurt though…"** The fox said, relishing the last part.

"I don't care!" Just do it!" Naruto turned back outwards. "Hinata...I need you to set my bones…" Hinata nodded. Naruto needed her! She wouldn't fail!

Hinata activated her Byakugan, and, finding every part of the bone, began to arrange them like a puzzle piece. Sasuke kept watch, checking in every so often. Finally, every part of the bone was put in place.

" **Ready?"** The fox grinned. Naruto nodded. " **Heheh, this'll be fun…"** Naruto's seal flared to life, and red chakra raced down his leg, centering around his leg. At first, Naruto felt a soothingly warm sensation, until it began to heat up.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

* * *

Hours later, it was complete. First, his bone had melded together, then, the muscles reattached themselves to the bone, and finally, layers of skin slowly covered the wound. The only noticeable difference between his old and new skin was the color.

"H-hinata...I...I...Help…" Naruto couldn't get the words out. The healing process had exhausted him, and the lack of sleep wasn't helpful. He shakily sat up, an action which required massive effort. He looked up. Noon. Only two hours left, and with his fucked up leg. He stood, falling back down the first time. "Let's...go…" Hinata and Sasuke supported Naruto under his shoulders, and he limped his way to the tower.

With Sasuke's Sharingan and Hinata's Byakugan, they had little trouble spotting the traps and people surrounding the tower, and the made it inside without to much trouble.

The room was empty, with only a scroll on the wall. They set Naruto down, who finally had the strength to stand on his own.

 _If qualities of Heaven are what you desire,_

 _Acquire wisdom and knowledge to take your mind higher_

 _If Earthly qualities are what you lack,_

 _Train your body in the fields and prepare to attack_

 _When both Heaven and Earth are opened together,_

 _The path of peril will be the righteous path forever_

" __" is the secret way…_

 _That guides us on from this place today._

 _The Sandaime Hokage_

"Heaven and Earth…Maybe we should open the scrolls?" Sasuke said. Hinata nodded. Naruto reached into his pocket, handing a scroll to each of them. Slowly, the scrolls were rolled open, and a familiar seal stared at them. Then, the scrolls started smoking.

"That's a summoning seal!" Sasuke threw his scroll to the ground, and Hinata quickly followed suit. A plume of smoke emerged from the seals, and Iruka was standing in the middle.

"Hey Kids!" Then he noticed Naruto "You...you guys really went through wringer huh...if Naruto's that tired." Naruto didn't respond.

"Naruto got his leg crushed…" Iruka's eyes widened.

"Wha-but his leg!"

"Kyuubi..." Naruto panted. Iruka nodded.

"Well, I'm glad to say that you passed." Naruto grinned.

"Yay…"

"What's with the scroll?" Sasuke asked, gesturing to the scroll on the wall.

"I'm actually supposed to explain that." He cleared his throat, signifying a lecture to come. "The Sandaime Hokage wrote this directive for all chunin. In the scroll, Heaven means the human mind, and Earth refers to the human body. If your weakness is your mind, then you must gather knowledge, and take your mind higher. If your body is weak, you need to train for stamina and skill." He grinned. "Once you have qualities if Heaven and Earth, no mission, no matter how dangerous, will be the wrong path. And I'm happy to say that all of you have such qualities." They grinned. "Chunin are mission leaders, and this test was to see if you could listen to instructions and survive in enemy territory."

"What is the blank, Iruka-Sensei?" Hinata asked. Iruka chuckled.

"That is meant for the word in this scroll." He said, unfurling said scroll. "Jin, which means one or all people." Team 7 nodded, and Iruka knew that they were internalizing that message. Iruka checked his watch, and his eyes bugged out of his head for a second.

"You have five minutes! GO!" He shuffled them through the door, watching Naruto wince everytime he stepped.

Naruto limped into the room behind his team. His leg was flaring up everytime he stepped. Looking around the room, he saw that Team 8, 9, and 10 had succeeded. The team from Oto was there too, Gaara's team, and Kabuto's team too. 7 teams had passed. Each of their Sensei's was there too. Iruka, Anko, Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Maito Gai stood together. Kakashi stared at Naruto, and alarmed look on his face. The Hokage looked Team 7 over, waiting for them to step into line.

"Hey Naruto!" Kiba whispered. "What happened?" He said, staring at Naruto's leg.

"I heal fast." That was all Naruto said.

"Listen up! Congrats on passing the second stage of the exams! Now the Hokage will explain the third stage exams!" The Sandaime Hokage cleared his throat.

"There is a reason we stage the exams like this. All nations participate in the exams, and send ninja to other nations. The purpose of the exams is to promote friendship among nations and raise the skill level of Shinobi. The Chunin Exams are, in a sense, a war between nations."

The remaining teams shuffled their feet. "The alliance between nations is only temporary. The allied nations used to fight amongst each other for control of resources, and they only stopped when we devised the Chunin Selection Exams."

"But I thought it was to choose Chunin!" Naruto shouted. The Hokage grinned wryly.

"Do not fret, the side effect of the exams is the selection of our Chunin Shinobi. But more importantly, it demonstrates the ability of a notions ninja to others.

"To others?" Sakura asked.

"The Third Examinations will be held in the arena, watched by distinguished people, such as the Daimyo's and Nobility of each Nation...and the respective Kage's from nations. If any nation shows superiority over other nations, people will bring missions to said nation. And when a nation is superior, they are a deterrent to attacks. By taking this test, you risk everything you value, all your friends, all your values, all your dreams, and even the dignity and reputation of the village."

Gaara grumbled. "Wrap up the philosophy…"

"Very well, The exam w-" a man appeared on the floor in front of them.

"Forgive the interruption, Hokage-Sama, but please, let me give the proceedings."

"...very well." The Hokage nodded. The man turned. He looked like he never left his house.

"Ummm...I'm Hayate, the proctor for the preliminaries…"

"What!?" Shikamaru asked.

"Uhh...I know that the first two exams were already hard enough, but...we have too many people here…"

"Huh?"

"Hokage-Sama already said that the Kage's would attend the exams, and we need quick, tight-moving exams...so we're holding preliminaries to whittle the numbers down. Now, uhhh...If anybody doesn't want to fight, they can leave now...and from now on, you aren't a team anymore, so don't worry about dragging your team down." People looked at each other.

"I quit." Kabuto raised his hand. Hayate looked at him.

"Kabuto Yakushi of Konoha, right? Kabuto nodded. "Alright, go."

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"I just don't have the stores to keep fighting. Sorry." Naruto looked at The Hokage, who seemed to be discussing something with Anko. Suddenly, Sasuke grabbed his shoulder.

"Ow, ow…" the seal was flaring again.

"You okay?" Naruto asked. Sasuke glared.

"You got your leg crushed, I think I can deal with a little pain Dobe."

"I guess no one else is leaving...Okay." Hayate coughed. "The preliminaries are one on one fights, much like a tournament. It ends when you either concede, fall unconscious, or die. As proctor, I'll try to stop fights before people die, but…" he said, trailing off. The wall opened, revealing a screen. "Ummm...This board will show the names of the fighters, and please, try not to kill...Now then...let's start with the names." Everybody turned to the board.

 _Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado_

"Right away…" Sasuke said. He gripped his shoulder again. Hinata and Naruto looked at him. "It's fine…"

"Would the two please come forward." They complied. "Do either of you have an objection to this match up?"

"Nope.

"Nu-uh."

"Would everyone other than the two contestants please leave the arena." The Teams slowly went up the stairs, which was especially hard for Naruto, as he had to support all his weight on his weak foot. Bye the time he was on top, he was panting again.

Sasuke was wondering about the seal, which hadn't done anything while in the forest. "Don't use the Sharingan…" He heard. Kakashi was behind him. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"It worked in the forest." Kakashi shook his head.

"Orochimaru's closer now...if the seal activates, you'll be disqualified."

"Alright…" Sasuke grimaced.

"Ready?" Hayate asked. They nodded. "Please, begin." He stepped back, and Yoroi's hand glowed, and he began by throwing a couple of shuriken, which Sasuke reflected. The seal flared again, and Sasuke's vision faltered, and he felt a hand wrap over his face. His strength began to fade.

"You can steal chakra?" Sasuke asked, when he'd escaped the hold.

"Yes…"

' _I only have Taijutsu now…'_ Sasuke thought, scanning the room, until his eyes rested on a green clad ninja. ' _Maybe…"_ Sasuke rushed forward, and, akin to Lee, dropped from Yoroi's line of sight, kicking him up into the air. He copied Lee's style flawlessly, until, while he was up in the air, the seal began to spread. ' _No...NO!'_ "NO!" Sasuke forcibly drew the seal back, and, after a couple seconds, he'd thoroughly pummeled Yoroi. Hayate checked.

"Winner, Sasuke Uchiha!" He coughed.

"I think we'd better seal away that mark, huh Sasuke?" Kakashi said, sneaking up behind Sasuke. He helped Sasuke to his feet.

"I wanna see the other fights…" Kakashi shook his head.

"This can't wait. You were already supposed to be disqualified for even having the seal. You're lucky you even got to fight." Sasuke resigned himself.

 _Zaku Abumi vs. Shino Aburame_

Naruto stopped paying attention after that. He was tired.

" **Happy? I did what you wanted."**

"And it hurt like hell!" Naruto said.

" **You healed an injury that would normally destroy a ninja in a couple hours. Be grateful brat."** Naruto knew the fox was right.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" Naruto looked at her. "You look tired."

"I am...But I'm alright for now…"

"Winner, Shino Aburame!" Naruto sat down.

"He has bugs throughout his entire body…" Hinata muttered.

"Yo!" Kakashi appeared in a bout of smoke.

"How's Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"He's doing better than you, for sure." Kakashi said. "What happened?"

 _Misumi Tsurugi vs. Kankuro_

"I got my leg crushed in a fight, and the healing took a lot outta me…" Kakashi flipped his book open.

"Even then, you're so tired. An Uzumaki shouldn't be that tired, even after high speed healing."

"I didn't sleep…" Kakashi shook his head.

"Naruto...what have I said about sleep?" Naruto groaned.

"Sleep is the one of the most important actions for a ninja."

"That's right. Even for an Uzumaki, five days without sleep is pushing it."

"Winner, Kankuro!"

"I know, Kakashi-Sensei…"

 _Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka_

' _I guess I should watch this one…'_ Naruto thought, looking down at the arena. Ino and Sakura walked into the arena, but everyone could tell that something was wrong. Sakura was shivering, and Ino was frowning at her. Even if their friendship had been lost to their rivalry over Sasuke, Ino was concerned for a girl who she still considered a close confidant.

"Begin!" Hayate said. Sakura flinched.

"What's wrong Sakura?" Ino asked. Sakura mumbled something unintelligible. "What?" Ino walked over to her. Sakura began to shiver. Ino stopped.

"I don't want to fight…" Sakura said, quiet enough that only Ino heard.

"Why?" Ino asked.

"..." Ino looked down, before looking at Hayate with determination in her eyes.

"Hayate-Sama...I think that I speak for both of us...We quit." Hayate looked at her.

"Ummmm...Ms. Haruno has to quit too…" Sakura nodded. "You're quitting?" She nodded again. "Uhhhh...I guess we don't have a winner!" Ino and Sakura walked back up the stairs Ino holding Sakura close, soothing Sakura. The crowd was confused. Why didn't they fight?

 _Tenten vs. Temari_

"Uhh, I guess we move on to the next fight…" Tenten and Temari entered the arena. To say that the fight was short would be an understatement. Nothing Tenten tried worked, and Temari made quick work of the weapons ninja.

"Winner, Temari!"

 _Shikamaru Nara vs. Kin Tsuchi_

"Troublesome...I've gotta fight a girl…" Shikamaru said. Kin stood in the arena, a maniacal grin on her face. Shikamaru lazily walked down the stairs.

Naruto stared at the ceiling, hearing the sounds of the fight. Every once in awhile a bell would ring somewhere. ' _I'm so tired…'_

"Winner, Shikamaru Nara!"

' _Maybe I have time for a nap before my fight…'_

 _Naruto Namikaze vs. Kiba Inuzuka_

' _Dammit!'_ Naruto stood up, limping down the stairs into the arena. Kiba and Akamaru stood in the middle.

"Ready?" Hayate asked. Kiba nodded. Naruto paused. ' _I'm so tired...but I won't lose!'_

"Yes…" Kiba frowned.

"Naruto...You've gotta quit! Look at yourself! You're dead on your feet." Naruto looked pale, and he was sweating from the exertion.

"Look...Kiba. I know that my chances of winning are small, but I never give up, no matter how hard things become." Naruto settled into his personal style stance. Kiba sighed.

"Sorry, Naruto...I'd never fight you normally, but I don't think you have a chance now."

"Begin!"

" _ **Man-Beast Clone!"**_ Akamaru and Kiba became clones, and immediately began their assault on Naruto. He tried his hardest to defend, but with how tired he was, Naruto was having a hard time getting his hands where they needed to be.

Up in the stands, Kurenai, Asuma, and Kakashi were watching the fight with great interest. "What's wrong with Naruto, Kakashi?" Asuma asked. "He's usually much better than this." Kakashi nodded.

"He got hit in the forest, and the healing took away a lot of stamina...Ask Shino, he was there."

"Naruto-san's leg was shattered, and to see him even able to stand is a miracle." Shino stated.

"YOSH! NARUTO'S FLAMES OF YOUTH MUST BE PHENOMENAL TO CONTINUE FIGHTING AFTER SUCH AN INJURY! I MUST TRAIN HARDER NOW! AND IF I CANNOT, I WILL RUN AROUND KONOHA 200 MORE TIMES, AND IF I CANNOT, I WILL DO 3,000 MORE JUMPING JACKS! AND IF I CANNOT, I WI-" Maito Gai was bopped over the head by Kurenai, who seemed extremely peeved.

" _ **Gatsuuga!"**_

"It looks like Kiba wants to end this as fast as possible…" Kurenai said.

Naruto tried his hardest to block the attack, but it ripped through his shirt, hitting Naruto's side. Blood spilt, and Naruto fell to the ground, forming a puddle. "Proctor, Naruto's not gonna get up." Hayate nodded.

"Winner, K-"

"Wait…" Naruto mumbled. Hayate froze. "Please…" Naruto slowly got up. He stood, heavily favoring his uninjured leg. "I'm not done yet…" Naruto began to remove his ruined shirt. He gripped a seal on his chest, before twisting his hand, and the seal disappeared.

"YOSH! NARUTO TRAINS WITH SEALS! HIS FLAMES OF YOUTH A-"

"Maito." Kurenai said. He flinched.

"What was that?" Kiba asked.

"Those...those were...were...weight...weight seals…" Naruto panted. He felt lighter, but even then, everything hurt.

" _ **Gatsuuga!"**_ Kiba and Akamaru attacked again, and this time, Naruto dodged. He was noticeably faster than before, but, as time went on, Naruto began to falter, and began to get nicked by the attack, slowly whittling down Naruto's stamina. Eventually, Naruto got tired of dodging, and brought his hand together.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_

4 Naruto's appeared, and began to charge at Kiba and Akamaru. The clones had no stamina, and were quickly dispatched by the two, without even landing an attack.

"You won't win Naruto! You can't even make enough clones to touch me." Naruto growled.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ A single clone appeared, but the scary thing was that it was sickly, looking like Naruto's attempts at a normal bunshin. The sickly clone dissipated, and Naruto brought his hands together one more time.

"NO!" Hinata cried.

" _ **Kage Bun-"**_ Naruto's eyes flickered, and he swayed on his feet, before standing still, his eyes empty.

"H-he's out of c-chakra…" Hinata whispered.

"N-Nani!?" Kakashi snapped his book closed. Raising his Forehead Protector, Kakashi cursed when Naruto wasn't imitting a chakra signature. "He'll die…"

Inside, Naruto was panicking. ' _Where's my chakra! Why can't I feel it!?'_

"Naruto?" Kiba asked. No response. Hayate walked over. Naruto could see everything, and he could feel himself fading away.

" **You stupid brat! Now we're both gonna die!"** The fox cursed from inside the seal. "

' _I can't die! I won't! I won't! I won't! I refuse! I'm Naruto Namikaze, Son of the Yondaime Hokage, and I'm gonna be Hokage! NO!"_

"NO!" On the outside, a seal flared red on Naruto's stomach, and the ground cracked underneath him. Every Jounin, and even the Hokage readied themselves. "I won't lose." Naruto grinned, his ocean blue eyes hardened.

"How!" Kiba screamed. Akamaru was whining in fear.

"Did you see that seal...it looks a little like Gaara's…" Kankuro muttered to his sister. Gaara grinned.

"His blood will taste good mother…"

' _What's happening!?'_ Most people thought.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ 300 Naruto's appeared in the arena, all surrounded by this red flaming chakra. "Alright guys! Get'm!"

"NA"

"MI"

"KA"

"ZE"

"NARUTO BARRAGE!" The Naruto's kicked and punched, while Kiba tried his best to defend, but Naruto was too powerful, and Kiba was knocked out, Akamaru captured, and the original Naruto stood in the arena, slowly letting his chakra dissipate.

Hayate checked over Kiba, confirming that Kiba wouldn't be getting up. "Winner, Naruto!" ' _Thank god that was not the Kyuubi!'_ Naruto turned away, and began to limp up the stairs. His chakra signature began to fade away, but Naruto kept a little, waiting for his natural chakra to refill

"Naruto!" Hinata rushed Naruto, helping him up the stairs.

"Hinata...I'm so tired…"

 _Hinata Hyuuga vs. Neji Hyuuga_

Hinata froze, staring at the screen. Neji grinned. Finally, he could humiliate the main house.

"Don't...don't worry...Hinata...You can...you can do it…" Naruto panted. Hinata nodded, not truly believing. She'd never defeated Neji before, and she didn't have a fox in her stomach to save her when things got out of hand.

"You are fated to lose." Neji said when Hinata finally entered the arena. "You should not have entered the exams, because you will fail, as you always have.' Hinata shook her head.

"Naruto-kun believes in me, and that's all I need." Neji shook his head.

"He was the dead-last of his class, and his victory over the Inuzuka was a fluke. You are both failures, and failures are fated to forever remain failures."

"Begin!"

They both settled in the Juuken stance.

" _ **Byakugan!"**_

" _ **Byakugan!"**_ A match between Hyuuga's.

Hinata began by inching forward, goading Neji into an attack. Neji accepted, and aimed a chakra filled palm at at Hinata's chest, which she deflected, and retaliated with a palm to Neji's arm, which he dodged. They traded blows, each searching for a crack in the others defences.

' _Come on, Hinata!'_ Naruto thought, watching the match with worry. The entire crowd watched the fight with interest. The fight seemed fairly even, neither able to defeat the other.

The fight continued for 10 minutes, until Hinata's stamina began to waver, and Neji hit her arms, closing all the Tenketsu. With her unable to use her arms anymore, he attacked.

" _ **Eight Trigrams: 64 Palms!"**_ Hinata took the brunt of the assault, and her chakra network began to falter. By the time he was done, Hinata had collapsed on the ground. Neji turned away, towards Hayate.

"Stop the match, she will not be getting up."

"No…" Hinata shakily stood, a small trail of blood trickling out of her mouth. "I can still fight…" Hayate shook his head.

"You clearly are dead on your feet. Winner, Neji!"

"Why do you continue when you are fated to fail?"

"Because...Naruto-kun believes in me…" Neji began to get irritated.

"You are both failures, fated to stay weak! Why do you fight?!"

"I...I know...I know that you believe that things will never get better...but they will….you just have to fight for it...That determination that Naruto-kun has...has proven that…" Neji scowled, and aimed a chakra charged palm at an unexpecting Hinata's heart.

He was abruptly surrounded by almost every Jounin, all holding him, stopping the fatal blow. Hinata fainted, falling down on her face, unable to maintain the energy required to stay conscious.

"This is the treatment of the main house?" Neji asked with disgust, glaring at the Jounin's.

"That was most unyouthful Neji, attacking after you'd already won." Maito said.

The air was slowly filled with malicious intent, and Naruto was kneeling by Hinata's body, glaring at Neji.

" **You tried to kill her…"** If you looked close, you could see that his eyes were shifting to red. He scooped up some of the blood that had surrounded her. " **I swear that we'll fight, and I'll defeat you. I swear on her blood."** Neji scoffed.

"You will fail." Neji went back up the stairs.

"Move _boy!_ " A medic ninja said, putting Hinata's body on a stretcher. Naruto growled. The medic flinched.

 _Lee vs. Gaara_

' _Bushy brows? Against the creepy sand dude?'_

"Naruto...I know you're mad about Hinata, but letting the fox out here isn't helping anybody." Kakashi said, reading his book.

"Yeah…" The intent slowly died away. Kakashi escorted Naruto back up the stairs.

Naruto tried to concentrate on the fight, but his mind kept wandering back to Hinata. ' _I'll kill that Teme...Hinata-chan didn't deserve that…'_ He noticed that Gaara was having a hard time defending against Lee's speed. ' _Bushy brow's good, especially for guy who can't use Jutsu…But he's still not hitting him…'_ Then Lee dropped the weights.

The ground under him threw up dirt, and the weights formed craters in the ground. Naruto stood up, in awe. Lee disappeared. Naruto knew that he was fast, but Lee was just a blur before Gaara flew backwards, his sand failing to keep up.

"Mother...will have your blood…" The fight continued, until Lee began to release steam.

"What's happening Kakashi-sensei?" Hinata asked.

"There are eight chakra regulations throughout the body, called the Eight Gates...And Lee is opening them." Naruto limped over to Gai.

"Hey! Bushy Brow's Sensei! Could you teach me how to do that?" Gai flashed a smile.

"YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH ARE TREMENDOUS, BUT ALAS, I CANNOT...YOU ARE A POWERFUL SHINOBI, WHILE MY WONDERFUL STUDENT HAS MANY LIMITATIONS! I WILL NOT GRANT YOU A POWER YOU MAY MISUSE!"

'But-"

"No! I will not! I applaud your enthusiasm, but I refuse!" Naruto gave up. Gai wasn't going to budge.

"Hey Gai...How many gates can he open?" Kakashi asked.

"Five!" Gai smiled proudly.

"...you're reckless…" Kakashi said.

"I-NO, LEE!" Gai disappeared, reappearing before Gaara could kill him. "STOP!" Naruto hopped the railing, landing at Lee's side, wincing when pain shot up his leg. Lee's left arm and leg were a mangled mess.

"Uhhh...Winner, Gaara!"

"Bushy Brow…"

"Naruto...I hope I will have your flames of youth one day...They burn brightly like...like…" Lee was starting to fade away. Naruto looked around, Gai was still deterring Gaara, so he wouldn't be able to help.

"Medic!" Naruto caught sight of the Medic-nin bringing a stretcher. They crowded around Lee, taking him from Naruto.

"This is bad…"

"Holy shit…

"Tell his Sensei…He won't ever be a ninja again..." Naruto heard snippets of conversation from the medics.

 _Choji Akimichi vs. Dosu_

"Ugh…" Naruto trekked back up the stairs. He was really angry. Lee's entire life had been ripped away by some insane maniac from Suna. ' _It's not fair...I'll make it better…'_

"Begin!"

"Naruto?" He looked up.

"Hinata?"

"Nope, it's just me." Kakashi said. "You okay?" Naruto shook his head.

"Lee was hurt really badly by that freak...And-" Naruto's head exploded in pain.

"Hm?!"

"Ugh, my head...Why…"

"That's why you sleep, Naruto." Kakashi said.

"It's too late for that now…"

"Winner, Dosu!" The preliminaries were over.

"Please, would the winners come down to the arena! Hokage-sama will speak now!" Shino, Kankuro, Temari, Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji, Gaara and Dosu stood before the Hokage.

"Congratulations for winning your matches. The Finals will proceed in one month, as to allow the Daimyo's and Kage's of Konohagakure, Sunagakure, and Otogakure to arrive...The finals will be arranged similarly to the preliminaries, consisting of one on one fights." A Jounin holding a box stepped forward. "Please, select a number from the box." The box was passed down.

"5"

"7"

"6"

"8"

"1"

"3"

"4"

"9"

"So Sasuke has 2…" The jounin held up a board. On it, was a tournament like structure.

"The finals will begin in a month. The first match will be: Naruto Namikaze vs. Neji Hyuuga."

' _I'll beat you for what you did to Hinata!'_

' _I will prove that fate determines the outcome'_

"The second match will be: Sasuke Uchiha vs. Gaara of the Sand." Gaara licked his lips "The third match will be: Shino Aburame vs. Kankuro of the Sand." No reaction "The fourth match will be: Temari of the Sand vs. Shikamaru Nara."

"Why a girl…"

"What'd you say?"

"...and Dosu will fight the winner of the fourth match. Any questions?" Shino raised his hand. "Yes?"

"The chart shows a tournament structure. Does this mean that there will be only one promotion granted?" The Hokage shook his head.

"You will be observed by a panel of impartial judges, who will choose the promotions. You can be promoted even if you lose the first match. However, if you fight more often, the judges will see your skills more often. There have been years where there were no promotions, so do not expect a promotion if you win the tournament." The students nodded. "The finals will be held in the stadium, as a public spectacle. They will begin at 10 in the morning, and you will be disqualified if you are late. Thank you." The Hokage left, and the Sensei's came to take their students.

"Kakashi-sensei...Where are Sasuke and Hinata?" He asked, as Kakashi ushered him to a medic to clean Naruto's wounds.

"Well...Sasuke is being escorted by an ANBU, and Hinata will be brought to the real hospital…" Kakashi said, intently reading his book.

"Why ANBU?"

"I can't really say…" He said, scratching the back of his head.'

"Is it the seal?"

"...maybe…"

"I...hope… he's alright…" Naruto's eyes began to falter, as all the exhaustion from the fighting during these exams finally had overridden the fox's chakra.

"Sleep, Naruto, you need to sleep." Naruto began to shudder. "..check his chakra stores." the medic didn't move. "Check! Check his chakra stores!" The medic hooked up the machine, seemingly unwilling. The machine flared, displaying a chakra pathway.

Naruto's Uzumaki genes usually helped him, but in this case, they were the problem. Uzumaki's were born with big chakra reserves, with a great restorative ability. Their massive stamina came from a bloodline limit that allowed them to convert chakra into oxygen, negating the tiring effects off most exercise on muscles. Uzumaki, when resting, could usually restore their entire reserve in 24 hours.

But now that Naruto hadn't slept, during his fights, he'd been continually converting his chakra into oxygen, and when accessing the fox's chakra, Naruto's own stores drained faster. And while his excessive use off Kage Bunshin could usually be negated by the potency of Naruto's chakra, as the seal slowly mixed Naruto's natural chakra, and the Kyuubi's beast chakra, resulting in heavily concentrated chakra, allowing Naruto to use less chakra for higher level Jutsu, With barely any chakra left, Naruto's seal couldn't mix Naruto's chakra with that of the Kyuubi's, and Kage Bunshin used up more chakra. Naruto's stores were steadily falling, barely at the level of a young academy student.

Kakashi snapped his book closed. ' _He needs sleep now!'_ "Get him an IV drip!" Then medic walked away, absolutely no urgency.

"W-what's...wrong...K-k-kak-kashi-s-s-sensei…" Naruto was shivering.

"You need to sleep now! I'll explain later!" Using a pressure point, Kakashi forced Naruto into unconsciousness. The machine immediately showed that his store usage was slowing down, but Naruto had no sustenance to supply chakra with, and the Bijuu chakra would dominate soon, leaving Naruto's chakra system ruptured.

The medic came back, holding an IV in her hand. Kakashi noticed the slight smile, and the glint in the eye. His eyes narrowed. "Give me the IV." He commanded, his voice hard and cold.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi-sama, but you are not a Medical Ninja."

"Give." Kakashi said. Holding out a hand, his singular eye staring into the medics. He poured out the intent, until the medic relented. Kakashi ripped a small hole in the end, tasting the water. Normal.

"...you...You tried to KILL HIM! SURELY, YOU OF ALL PEOPLE NO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ANYTHING BUT SALTWATER ENTERS THE BLOODSTREAM!"

"Kakashi-sama, please-"

"THE HOKAGE WILL HEAR THIS! GET ME A REAL IV!" He shouted at a passing medic. He threw the tampered IV at the original medic. "Leave." The medic didn't need to be told twice. Kakashi turned to his student.

' _Minato-sensei, if you knew how bad your son was treated, you would have torn Konoha apart yourself...come back…'_ Kakashi knelt over Naruto, who's remaining chakra was slowly began overpowered by the Kyuubi's. Kakashi began to do something he hadn't done in years. He cried. If you looked closely, you could see that even his covered eye was leaking.

' _Minato...Kushina...Rin...Obito...I need you…'_ "This team is all I have...I won't let them end up like the last one…"

* * *

 **Civilian: Most Civilians**

 **Academy: Sakura Haruno**

 **Genin: Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, Shino Aburame, Kankuro, Kiba Inuzuka, Tenten**

 **Chunin: Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuuga, Neji Hyuuga, Temari, Shikamaru Nara, Rock Lee**

 **Jounin: Gaara, Naruto Namikaze, Kakashi Hatake, Asume Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuuhi, Maito Gai**

 **ANBU: Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha, Most Uzumaki**

 **Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru**

 **Kage: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tobirama Senju, Kushina Uzumaki**

 **High Kage: Minato Namikaze**

 **Bijuu: Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha**

 **Sage: Sage of Six Paths**

* * *

 **Hopefully, I can write faster this time. Please leave a review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey. As I explained in my new series, "Done Better" this took awhile. I was lazy, and then when I finished it, my Beta Reader got lazy...so here it is. This is a shorter chapter because it's just filler for he time in between the Preliminary ark, and the Konoha Invasion ark. Technically, you could completely skip this chapter if you wanted...**

* * *

 _Naruto's POV_

"Come on, he's just a kid!" Naruto ran, down the street, into an alley. He was just trying to find a way home. He shouldn't have left his apartment for Ramen.

"That just makes him easier to kill! He's a demon! A murderer!"

"I never killed anybody!" Naruto cried.

"Don't lie!" A drunk said. They cornered him in an alley. "You were laughing when it happened! My Mom died because of you!"

"It wasn't me!" Naruto began to cry. The drunk laughed, roughly grabbing Naruto's neck.

"So the demon can shed tears?" He smiled. "But can he shed blood?!" They dragged Naruto by the neck, into the middle of the square. They tied him up, and laughed at his cries.

"Leave me alone!" Naruto screamed. The drunkard hoisted a sword.

"We can't kill you, stupid Hokage...but we can make you pay!" The sword came rushing in. Naruto's vision faded to black.

"He's moving!"

"He's waking up!"

Naruto opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. He recognized this place. The general hospital.

"Dobe! Pay attention!" Naruto's eyes drifted over, seeing the faces of the people around him. Kiba, Shino, Ino, Sakura, Shikamaru, Sasuke, Tenten, Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai.

"Where's Hinata?" Naruto asked, his throat dry. Sasuke grinned.

"She's still in her own room. She's still hurt." Naruto stared back at the ceiling.

"Okay…" His body felt heavy.

"Naruto...You almost died. Twice. Never, and mean _Never_ , stay awake that long again." Kakashi said.

"Why?" Kakashi sighed.

"Your chakra level was at a civilian level when I got you the IV. Any lower, and your...condition would have ruptured your chakra coils." Naruto looked at Kakashi, before nodding, turning away again.

"How long?"

"Huh?"

"How long have I been asleep?"

"You've been asleep for about a day and a-half." Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"I've never been asleep that long…" Kakashi sighed.

"Naruto...you had to replenish Kage level reserves, while controlling your condition. You shouldn't have been awake for another week." Naruto smirked.

"You guys know that I'd never sleep that long. I got too many things to do!" Naruto held a thumb up. "Ow…" His muscles were stiff.

"Dobe. How'd you get chakra exhaustion?"

"Yeah, you try regenerating a crushed leg! That'll take a lot outta you."

"Yeah, Naruto, how'd you heal like that?!" Kiba asked. "That was worse than that Lee kid!"

"Um…" Naruto looked at Kakashi. "Uhhh…"

"Uzumaki had great healing factors, but Naruto...is a special case." Kakashi said.

"Like?" Ino asked. Sakura shuffled. She stared at her feet, holding her hands in front of her chest. She glanced up, before flicking her eyes back. Naruto eyed her.

"What's up Sakura?" She flinched. Ino elbowed her.

"Go on…"

"Huh?"

"Umm...I wanted to say thanks...for saving me in the forest...and I'm sorry you got hurt because of me." She mumbled. She sounded like Hinata in the early days. Barely able to be heard.

"Yeah, yeah. Doesn't matter." Naruto sat up, wincing as his muscles stretched. "Don't worry about it." Ino nudged Sakura again. She gulped.

"And...I wanted to say uh...s-sorry, for b-being s-so mean a-all t-the time. I-I s-shouldn't have t-treated you l-like that." Her eyes began to water. "P-pl-please, f-forgive me…" She bowed, staring at the floor. Naruto looked around, realizing that Ino had shooed everybody out of the room. Sakura was still staring at her feet, and tears were falling. Naruto was silent for a while.

"Hahah...It's okay, Sakura...You're forgiven." He said, grinning. Sakura didn't move. "Sakura?"

"Thank you...I'm so sorry…"

"Hey, Sakura, don't worry about it!" She looked up at him, her eyes shining.

"Thanks, N-naruto...You're a better ninja than I ever would be…"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I-...I'm retiring…" Sakura said.

"Wait what?" Naruto asked, whipping his head at her.

"I'm quitting…" Naruto jumped out the bed.

"But what about Sasuke? What about your team?"

"Marrying Sasuke, is...just a dream, and I know that I'm useless...it's better that I retire now, and take over my mother's spot on the council, than die on a mission…" Naruto nodded.

"But now Team 8 doesn't have 3 people." He pointed out.

"They already know…" She nodded. "After we were visiting you, they were going to go to the Genin reserves for a new teammate…"

"Really? I wanna meet them!" Naruto got up, looking at his clothes. His chest was bare, with his shirt hanging from the dresser. Next to it, though, was a new cloak. "What?! Yes!" He grabbed it. "Thank Kami!" Sakura smiled.

"You really like that cloak…" Naruto nodded.

"It's the only thing left of my family...It's precious." He got dressed. "Bye!"

Naruto ripped the door open, running into Kakashi, who stumbled back a bit. "Where's Hinata?" Kakashi pointed to a nearby door his eyes glued to his book. "I wanna meet your new teammate, Kiba." Naruto disappeared into Hinata's room.

"We'll meet you there…' Kiba said to a closing door.

Naruto entered the room, staring at the lump in the sheets. "Hina-chan?"

"Huh?" The lump asked tiredly.

"It's me...Naruto. You okay?"

"...Yes." He could hear the sadness in the voice. He moved forwards, resting right at the bed.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked. She didn't respond. "Hinata?" Still no response. "Hinata?" He pulled back the covers. Hinata sat there, her eyes closed. Naruto stared at her. He could see her eyelids quivering. "..." He wrapped his arms around her. He knew how she felt.

' _She feels weak, cause she couldn't beat Neji-teme!'_ Naruto felt her shudder in his arms. He sat there with her, holding her. "Hinata...you don't have to feel sad. You don't have a stupid fox in your stomach for when things get bad...And you saw how hard that teme had to try! You are just as good a fighter, and a better person in general!" She nodded. "So don't be sad…"

He hugged her, trying to convey how much he cared, trying to show how grateful he was. A moment later she hugged him back. He grinned.

They sat for a minute, content with the others contact. "When are you getting out?" Naruto asked, when they let go of each other. She was looking a little red.

"In a week...I can move, but not for long…" She said demonstrating. "Why were you in the hospital?"

"Umm...I was using to much least, that's what Kakashi-Sensei said…" Sakura popped into his head. "Oh! Did you know that Sakura's retiring?" Hinata nodded.

"They were in here first. Do you know who their new teammate is?"

Naruto shook his head. "Actually, I'm supposed to meet them at the Academy." He got of the bed.

Just then, the door opened. Kakashi stuck his head in. "Naruto?"

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, moving towards Kakashi. Kakashi put his book away, which meant that whatever he said was pretty important.

"Uhh...Well…" He faltered. Naruto stared up at him. "Look. The Council has forced me into training Sasuke for this tournament, and if I train Sasuke, I can't-"

"You can't train me...Guess I'll have to find a Sensei myself. I wonder…" Naruto trailed off. Kakashi smiled.

"Well it's nice to know that you understand. You probably won't see much of me or Sasuke around…" He took out his book again. "See you." He disappeared .

"Well shit." Naruto said. "I'll see you Hina-chan." Naruto left the hospital, not bothering to check out. They would just slow him down.

Naruto took to the roofs. Moving as fast as he could. His muscles began to ache. ' _Ow...I guess this'll loosen me up.'_

The Academy came into view. He spotted Team 8, along with a new face. A girl, with black hair, held up in a ponytail, and even then, it went all the way down her back. She had a small sword across her back.

Naruto landed nearby. "Hey Naruto!" Kiba yelled. The girl turned around. "This is Sana! Sana Aoi!" She's our new teammate!" As Naruto approached her, she seemed to be looking him over.

You don't look demonic." She pointed out, stopping Naruto dead in his tracks.

"Well that's blunt…" Kurenai mumbled. Naruto shook of the comment.

"Uhh, I'm Naruto! Naruto Namikaze!" He pointed to himself.

"Like the Yondaime. You seem pretty strong. You even wear a cloak like him." She peered at him, making Naruto feel pretty self conscious. "Ya know, when my dad said you were a demon, I thought you'd have canines or claws or something. You look pretty normal." Naruto blinked.

"Uhh, well, when I'm mad you might see something, but...you don't want to see that."

"Why?"

"Uhh…" Naruto eyebrow twitched. ' _What am i supposed to say?'_

"Sana, I'd like to test you, to see where you fit with this team. Please, follow me." Team 8 began to walk in the direction of their training ground.

"So...are you a civilian?" Kiba asked. Sana nodded.

"Yeah, but being a civilian is boring. And I'd like to think I'm at least mediocre." She said, tapping her hand on her sword.

"Well at least you're humble." Naruto said. "So many of the girls in my class were just...stupid."

"How?"

"Well, my friend Sasuke is the last Uchiha, and practically Every. Single. God damn girl in class just wanted to become a ninja so that he'd marry them. Even the girl you're replacing...but she did get better recently…" He thought to the conversation from that morning. "Actually, why didn't you graduate?"

"My teammates were stupid, and didn't want to work with me, so we failed the test." She grinned. "But now I get a second chance."

"I assume that you feel prepared." Shino said.

"We're here." Kurenai said. Naruto recognized this place. He'd caught that beast of a cat around here multiple times. "I was thinking of a simple spar. I want to see the full scope of your abilities."

"Okay." Sana said. "Who am I fighting?" Kurenai grinned.

"Naruto."

1

2

3

"WHAT?!" Naruto shrieked. "Kurenai-san, you know that I'm still recovering." She grinned.

"Well...I need to test her, and to do that I need her to fight the strongest person. That happens to be you, even if your muscles are a little stiff." Naruto grumbled. He could see the logic behind the statement. "And I want to see what you're capable of."

"Fine."He began to stretch. "What are the rules?" Sana was already prepared, sinking into a stance he hadn't seen before. She seemed to be leaning forward very far, with most of her weight on her front foot, which was at least two feet in front of the other. She hadn't drawn her sword.

"Everything goes. I need to test Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Speed, Strength, Stamina." Naruto finished stretching, drawing his father's kunai from his pouch. She narrowed her eyes, before drawing to kunai. Naruto sank into his own brawler stance.

"What's that stance? That's nothing like a ninja." Naruto smirked.

"Just something I picked off the streets." He felt his mind settle into battle mode. "Ready?"

"Prepare to lose." Sana said.

"We'll see…"

Kurenai checked that both were prepared. "Alright….Go!" She yelled, backing away to join her students.

The field was silent for a moment. That's when Sana rushed forward. In a moment she was up in Naruto's face, slashing towards his chest. Blood spilt, before Naruto disappeared, leaving a log in his place.

' _She might be faster than Lee! With weights though…'_ Naruto was banking on the fact that since she hadn't been able to pass the test, she'd never been taught how to climb trees or walk on water. Especially since she was a civilian born. And she probably hadn't trained as extensively as Lee had. Speed. Sure, but she probably didn't have nearly anything close to Lee's strength. Or at least what Lee had had before his leg was destroyed.

"Where'd you go?! Scared?!" Sana smirked. Naruto was rushing through the trees surrounding the clearing, putting his stealth abilities to use. ' _If she moves fast like that, she might not have that much Stamina. Dad said I just gotta outlast her, but that means that I gotta make her attack!'_ Naruto launched out at her left, which appeared to be her weak side. She disappeared into a blur. He felt a breeze on his back, and he turned just in time to block her kunai.

"You're fast." Naruto grunted, a drop of sweat falling from his face.

"To fast for you?" She disappeared again.

"Never!" Naruto tucked his kunai into his hand. " _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ Naruto felt his network twinge. Apparently it didn't appreciate being used so soon after recovery. And it showed. Only 30 clones appeared, instead of the normal couple hundred. "Alright guys! Tie her down!" Every single Naruto fanned out. Sana was halted in her tracks, unable to keep moving through the crowd. "Get'er!"

"Oh no you don't" She drew her sword." Immediately the field went up in smoke." Team 8 was watching from the sidelines.

"Is it just me, or is she keeping up with Naruto?" Kiba asked.

"Yes, however, Naruto is showing signs of injury. Normally his clone output is much higher." Shino said.

When they emerged from the smoke, every single one of Naruto's clones were gone. Sana was skidding across the ground, her sword still covered in smoke. Naruto had avoided her attack, but he was running out of options. He was slower than she was, and that didn't bode well for a Rasengan, and he didn't trust his chakra coils to hold up for a Hiraishin.

' _What was that?! She just slashed through them!'_

" **So weak...She is weaker than you are, as demonstrated by your clash earlier. How could you have fallen this far?"**

" _Oh! Do_ _ **you**_ _have an idea?!'_ Naruto asked sarcastically.

" **Of course. I will lend you my chakra."** He ignored the look of skepticism he saw Naruto's face. " **You will be able to sense negative emotions. That should tell you where she is attacking from."**

' _And what's the catch?'_

" **Nothing...this time."**

' _What's that supposed to me-whoa.'_ The cloak was washing over his body, except this time, instead of being painful and perverted, in felt, cool. Calming. As if it was balanced perfectly with the world. He noticed that the cloak looked different too. He still had the tail, but instead of a bubbly red, it was a fiery one. It even seemed a little more orange than red.

"What the-" Sana looked at him. She could see the tail and teeth. His claws too. Now he looked more like a demon. "What did you do?!" Naruto smirked.

"Here's the demon you wanted."

"Hmph." Sana disappeared. Naruto senses picked up on this...feeling...that someone didn't have the best intentions for him. Naruto lashed to the right, just in time to meet Sana's sword. His nails held up against it. She disappeared again. Naruto sensed it again. Right behind him, He stepped sideways, and a blur hit where he'd just been.

"You need to be faster than that." Naruto smiled. He could sense her distress. She was losing energy. His eyes narrowed. Directly in front of him. He drew his kunai again, stopping a downward slash. "That was a mistake." he pushed, and she lost her balance.

"I still haven't used Ninjutsu!" She flashed through hand signs. " _ **Current Transfer Technique!"**_ Electricity began to crackle down her sword. Without thinking, Naruto brought up his kunai. His **metal** kunai. He felt electricity arc through his body. He backed away, dropping his kunai on the ground.

' _Don't touch that.'_ He could see her panting. She didn't have his level of Stamina. ' _Lightning is weak to Wind!'_ Two quick signs. " _ **Air Bullets!"**_ Two quick shots fired from his mouth. They struck her sword, and the electricity stopped running through it.

"Wha-" She stopped talking when the point of his kunai was pressed against her throat. His other hand gripped the hilt of her sword, restraining her movement. "...I give up…" Naruto felt the chakra leave him, feeling slightly drained, but it was different.

" **Be grateful, this'll never happen again."**

' _Thanks, I guess…'_ Kurenai stepped forward.

"Well, i think you will be a valuable addition to the team." she smiled. "Team 8 is a tracker team, which means your speed will probably be used to dive in for a quick skirmish. We do need to work on your Stamina though." Sana grinned.

"What team is Naruto on?"

"I'm on Team 7. We're an assault team. And I'm a born Uzumaki. I will always outlast other people. That's just my genetics."

"I still don't know why dad said you're a demon. You seem pretty nice."

"Thanks."

They continued to make small talk until Kurenai decided that she need to teach Sana the formations. Naruto was left to wander the village.

' _Where am I supposed to find a teacher?'_ Naruto thought. Eventually, he found himself at Ichiraku's.

"Hey, Naruto!" Teuchi said. "We missed you! What happened?" Naruto sat down.

"I was part of the Chunin exams! I was in a forest for 5 days, and I was asleep yesterday."

"Oh that's nice. The Regular?"

"Yeah." Teuchi began to prepare Naruto's meal.

"How's training going?" Naruto sighed.

"I can't find a Sensei to train me for the Finals."

"You're in the Finals?" He began to chop vegetables. "Congrats." Naruto smiled.

"Yeah, but the stupid council forced Kakashi-Sensei to train Sasuke, and now no one can teach me."

"Ahh, I remember when Kakashi was just a young boy. He and the Yondaime came by very often."

"WHAT?! DAD-uh- I mean Lord Fou-"

"You think I don't know?" Teuchi began to laugh. "I know more secrets than most people should! Your mother and father came by very often. I'm one of the few they told about her pregnancy." He heated the broth. "I'm surprised you know." He paused. "Thinking about it, alot of Konoha's secrets are shared here. I know more than some of the councillors do!" He grinned.

"Heh...Did Dad like Ramen like me?"

"Did he ever! Both your parents loved it! Of course you would! It's in your genes" He began to stir. "And your blonde hair gives you away. Many more people would know you were his son if they didnt want to hate you."

"Yeah…" Teuchi placed a bowl in front of him. Naruto picked up his chopsticks.

"I remember when you first came here." He looked up at the sky. "You were so small...I knew you were his son immediately." Naruto slurped his bowl. "You were 3 maybe. Just after you got your apartment. I couldn't help it. I just had to feed you." Naruto slowed down, so that he could hear the story. He vaguely remembered it, but it was buried under the worse memories from his early childhood.

"I hated them, for how they treated you. When I offered it to you, you ran away. You were scared of me too. But you came back, again and again, until you were brave enough to sit down, right in that seat." He said, gesturing to Naruto's seat. "You had a bowl of Miso Pork, and your face lit up. You ate 10 bowls right there. And you came back the next day, and the next, and the next…" Teuchi was lost in his memories. Inside the seal, the fox found himself remembering those times too.

Naruto finished his bowl, actually paying the price this time. He walked towards the hospital, intent on seeing Hinata again before he went to bed. He definitely wasn't expecting to see the head of the Hyuuga there.

"Namikaze…" Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Hyuuga….sama." Hiashi nodded his head. "What are you here for?"

"For my daughter."

"Don't really treat her like one." Naruto mumbled.

"What was that?" Hiashi asked.

"Uh-nothing!" Naruto sweat-dropped. Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "I just said that uh...that you, you don't really… you don't treat her like a daughter?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hiashi's tone had barely controlled anger behind it, and the eyes made it worse. Empty and Soulless, completely opposite from Hinata's pools of warmth.

"It's just that...from what I've seen, you don't seem to care." Hiashi turned away.

"I do care." It was Naruto's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Really? When she was seen with me you stood by and let your family beat your daughter. You never compliment her when she does well, and you always berate her when she makes mistakes."

"It would do well for you to refrain from insulting the leader of the Hyuuga." Hiashi said.

"I'm just stating facts."

"You don't understand, boy." Hiashi said, unnervingly calm. "Leading the Hyuuga's takes precedence over caring for a mediocre daughter." Naruto was starting to get mad. Nobody, not even her own father, got to insult Hinata.

"I think that your daughter is more important than your stupid clan! I don't know why you're all so mean to her, but you're the ones that made her weak! As soon as she showed a little vulnerability, you broke her, telling her that she would never make it no matter how hard she tried! And then you make her feel worse every time! You're her family! You should support her no matter what! Do you know how long it took to make her feel good about herself. And every time something goes wrong, she falls so far! You broke her because you weren't there when her mother died!" He was yelling now. Every nearby nurse had turned to the sounds, and were pleasantly surprised to see the demon yelling at the Hyuuga Head. He would finally get what was due.

"I did what was right."

"No. you. Didn't." Naruto began to rant. "You let your pain overshadow your responsibilities. You didn't want to care for Hinata because she looks like her mother. You didn't want to face it. Well, you should've, you definitely should've. Maybe Hinata would've been the daughter you wanted, instead of a failure in your eyes. The Hyuuga have all-seeing-eyes, well you sure were blind to how Hinata felt. You are a disgrace. How do you her mother would react hearing what you did to your own daughter! She'd be disgusted!"

"Boy-"

"I didn't hurt you, and I'm not part of your clan. You can't make me do anything to me without the council." Hiashi was silent for a moment.

"Do you believe that it is too late to reconcile our relationship, Namikaze?" Hiashi asked. Naruto was too angry to notice the pain behind his words.

"If you do a complete 180, maybe. She still loves you. She still loves all of you, even through all the shit she's had to put up with. That's why she's stronger than all of you. The Hyuuga are cold and uncaring. Trust me, I know from experience. Hinata is the only redeemable one, and if she reaches her goal, maybe one day, Neji-teme and Hanabi. That's right, she has goals. You just don't care enough to know. I bet you don't even know what her favorite thing is do you.

"...No I do not…"

"I don't particularly like you, but maybe if you treat her better, you'll have the future Hokage on your side." With that, Naruto left the hospital. He was to riled to visit anymore, especially if Hiashi-teme was going to be there. He went home. At least one good thing had happened today. ' _I hope Sana is a good fit. Even Sasuke would like her.'_

The next morning, Naruto woke up, completely sore. His body refused to move. After a couple minutes, Naruto gave up on it. He wasn't moving anytime soon.

' _I hate being sore…'_

Three hours later, and Naruto had finally mustered the strength to get up. He went to the bathroom, before limping his way to Ichiraku's.

 _Ino's POV_

"Why?" Sakura asked. They had reconciled their friendship since the preliminaries, and Ino was already pushing Sakura to her limits.

"Don't you wanna know how he got so strong?"

"Yeah, but this is an invasion of privacy! He might find you!"

"Oh please! He might be strong, but he's still Naruto. Not the smartest." Speaking of which he's here." Naruto limped into view. "Told you he'd come for Ramen."

"You didn't need to tell me that. He's here almost everyday. I still don't think it's safe."

"Just watch my body, would you?" Ino huffed. Putting her hands into a sign, she took aim. " _ **Mind Body Switch Technique"**_ Ino felt her consciousness being pulled as she'd hoped, she hit Naruto just as he was passing by.

Now that she was in control of Naruto, she took him into the alley that she and Sakura had been in. "It's me." It felt weird to be in such a short, but strong and tough body. Now she felt that pool of chakra Naruto had, even if she couldn't access it, she could feel just how much there was. Compared to her own, Naruto might as well have infinite chakra.

Ino sat down, and focused on her goal. Snoop around in Naruto's head for awhile, trying to find a memory that would tip her off as to when he got that strong.

She landed on her ass, splashing into the water. It looked like a sewer, but it was surprisingly clean at that. "I know that Naruto didn't have the best childhood, but for his mind to be a sewer system…" She turned to her right, and right there, was a massive gate, She peered up. It seemed to stretch at least 300 feet up." Halfway up was a small paper reading ' _Seal'_

Peering into it, she realized that the gate was more like a cell. "The hell?" Against her better judgement, she walked between the bars, which were easily large enough for her to spread her arms and still not touch either one.

She walked forwards, and she heard what sounded like a shuffle, and a sliver of light appeared, before flashing away.

"Why is this here? I've never seen a cell inside someone's mind before." Something began to laugh. "Huh?"

" **Foolish girl. Always looking where you're not supposed to. 13 years without another soul. And now a mortal has entered my prison…"** Ino was spinning. The voice made her want to curl up and hide, but she couldn't find the exit. " **Should it be quick, or should I savor it? I wonder."** She saw, whatever it was smile. Rows upon rows of sharp teeth, each one twice Ino's height. " **Fast, so you can't escape."** The mouth opened.

" _ **Release!"**_ Ino woke up in a cold sweat. Sakura was hovering over her.

"What'd you find?" Ino shook her head. "Huh?"

"He has this thing in there. In a cage...It tried to eat me."

"What?"

"I went in, and there was a big cage...and I went in, and...whatever is in there tried to eat me!"

"Sooo... it happened when you went into the cage?" Ino nodded. "Then don't go in there."

"You want me to go back?" Ino screamed. "A couple minutes ago you said this was wrong!"

"Yeah, well, I want to know too. Quick before he wakes up." Sure enough, Naruto was stirring. "Go!" Naruto jolted up, just in time to see Ino and Sakura.

"Wha-"

" _ **Mind Body Switch Technique!"**_

Ino landed in the same spot, and deliberately ignored the cage this time.

" **So you're back...You should come in here."** Ino ignored, whatever it was. She walked down a hallway, trying to find some kind of memory section. She began to hear footsteps, and that seemed like a good place to start.

Rounding a corner, she ran directly into something, which threw her back a couple steps.

"Ino...What are you doing in here?" Naruto asked. Looking around, she realized that she was very near where she'd started. She could see the cage again.

"What's in there?" Naruto eyes narrowed.

"Why. are. You. here?" He asked. His voice was simmering.

"I wanted to found out how you got so strong." She admitted.

"So you came in here without asking?" Tendrils of red were beginning to sneak out of the cage, culminating around Naruto. Most of the tendrils came from a gap in the cage. One bar was broken at the bottom.

"Yes."

"Get out." The cage began to shudder, as if whatever it was was trying to force its way out. "Now!"

Ino compiled, and when she came to, Naruto was standing over her, a frightening face staring down.

"Never do that again. Never."

 _Naruto's POV_

A week had passed, and Kakashi and Sasuke had disappeared. Naruto still hadn't found a teacher, but most importantly, Hinata was finally leaving the hospital. Naruto watched as she checked out, before leaving together.

"Are you training for the Finals yet?" Hinata asked. They were sitting at Ichiraku's, celebrating her release.

"No. No one wants to teach a demon." He slurped some Ramen. "But I noticed that my control got worse. I thought I'd get better after I healed, but…"

"You're healed though, right?"

"Yeah! But I gotta practice again. Gonna kick that Teme's ass for what he did to you." She sighed.

"I know you wanna get back at him...but he doesn't deserve it."

"Wha-"

"I know that he hurt me, trust me I know, but Neji...Neji hates the main house...just promise not to hurt him to bad, Please?" Naruto looked at her pleading face, his resolve crumbling.

"Alright...but I still want to beat him...What do you wanna do?"

"Huh?"

"You got out the hospital! What do you want to do?" She looked down for a moment.

"My muscles are stiff, so maybe a bath?" Naruto thought about it. A bath was always good, and maybe he'd find somebody to teach him.

"Which one?" The closest one was only a couple blocks away, but it was near the Hyuuga compound, and Naruto wasn't sure how they'd react seeing them entering or exiting a bath. "I heard that there was a new one over there. It's near the edge of the village."

"I've never been to that one...is it nice?" Naruto grinned.

"Yeah! It's really clean, and some of the springs are really hot! I fell in once, that was motivation."

"Okay!" Naruto paid the bill, which was pretty low considering that they'd only had a bowl. Only a 10 minute walk, during which they spotted the new member on Team 8.

"Hi Naruto!" Naruto looked up.

"Oh hey Sana!" He turned to Hinata. "This is Sana. Sakura's replacement. She's pretty good." He turned back. "Hey Sana! This is Hinata! My teammate."

"Where are you guys going?" She asked.

"We're going to the new hotspring." He pointed vaguely in that direction. "You wanna come?"

"Sure!" She settled into stride beside them. "Sooo, what's it like being a heiress?"

"Wha?" Hinata asked, startled. Naruto laughed inwardly. Sana was simply put, extremely blunt, and that was being generous. "Uhh...It's very boring sometimes...but I get to meet diplomats and such. I can't really explain…" Naruto tuned out the rest of the conversation.

' _At least they're getting along...But what happened to my control? I was so much better before. I can still climb trees and walk on water, but even that feels shaky…'_ They'd reached the springs.

"I'll see you guys in what, 30 minutes?" The girls nodded. "Alright." Naruto went into the men's side of the springs. He quickly undressed, wrapped his towel around himself, and went into the hot spring.

' _That feels good…'_ Naruto sank down deeper.

"Hehehe…"

' _Maybe I can get Jiji to teach me...No he's busy...but maybe he knows someone who can teach me…'_

"Hehehe…"

' _The hell?'_

"Those are nice ones, a little old though!" Naruto turned around. He spotted a man wearing a green and red cloak. His white hair was going all the way down his back. He held a notebook in his hand, staring at the wall.

' _Ero-sennin! He's here?!'_ Naruto hoped he'd teach him. ' _He's peeping again…'_ Naruto ignored it. He was used to watching his godfather peep. It came with the package. He'd learned that if you gained something, it couldn't be perfect. Hinata was shy and quiet. Sasuke felt distant sometimes. Kakashi-Sensei was lazy and late. Jiji was always busy. Iruka was always the most understanding. Ramen was perfect, always and forever. Ero-Sennin was a pervert, no, a Mega Pervert. He'd accepted their flaws early on, content to have them with him..

' _I'll wait until he's done…'_

"Eh? That Hyuuga girl is massive!"

' _He's peeping on Hinata!'_ Naruto stood up. No one was allowed to look at Hinata like that.

"Ero-sennin." Naruto growled.

"Huh? He turned around. "Don't disturb me while I research, Naruto." He turned back. "Now shoo."

Naruto pulled back an arm. "How dare you!" Jiraiya smashed through the wall head first flying into the women's bathing area. "Stop peeping!"

"PERVERT!" Practically every woman there was a ninja, and Jiraiya was in for a world of hurt.

"N-N-NARUTO?!" Naruto turned. Hinata and Sana were on the side, towels wrapped around their bodies. Apparently, the water was really hot, because Hinata was really red.

"God-ow-dammit-ow-Naruto!" Jiraiya screamed from inside the pile.

"No peeping on Hinata!"

Eventually, the women stopped beating him, leaving him in a pile on the ground. Hinata and Sana had gotten dressed, but Naruto was adamant about not letting Jiraiya out of his sight. If given the chance, he would go sneak of to gods knows where. Hinata hid her hands behind her eyes but veins were slowly sneaking along her face.

"What's with your eyes?" Sana asked. "Is that the Byakugan?"

"Eep!" Hinata turned a shade darker. Jiraiya stirred.

"Why...I wasn't hurting anybody?" Naruto shook his head.

"No one, peeps on Hina-chan!" Naruto heard Hinata mumble something he couldn't pick up. "What was that?"

"N-Nothing! Nothing." She shook her hands.

"She said that she's okay with y-" Hinata slapped her hand over Sana's mouth. Naruto was confused. Obviously something was wrong, but Hinata was being weird again.

He heard shuffling. Jiraiya was crawling away, biting his thumb, and trying to summon a toad or something. "OH NO YOU DON'T!" Naruto planted a foot into Jiraiya's back. "I need a Sensei for the Finals, and you're going to teach me!"

"Why should I do that after you threw me to the lions?!" Jiraiya asked, face buried in the stones.

"Cause you peeped on the Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan." Jiraiya raised his head. "Not even Jiji will be able to save you." Jiraiya could see very many directions that would go, each of them ending up with castration. "Of course, she's a friend of mine, and maybe she's willing to keep quiet if you teach me...or Hiashi will be on your case. Your choice." Naruto said nonchalantly, checking his nails.

"Alright, alright!" Jiraiya wailed. "I'll teach you!" Naruto let up the pressure. Jiraiya picked himself off the floor. "Kami…"

"And say sorry!"

"For what?!" The two girls were watching the interaction with great interest. Hinata had heard of Jiraiya, but only in passing, and she'd only heard stories of his deeds in the 2nd ninja war. Naruto had said he was a pervert, but Hinata didn't think it was this bad. Sana was just fascinated by how ballsy Jiraiya was.

"He sure is a pervert, isn't he Hinata?" Sana whispered. Jiraiya whirled around.

"How dare you! I, Jiraiya, the Great Toad Sage, Strongest of the Three Sannin, am NOT a pervert!"

Then what are you?" Sana snorted. He grinned.

"I AM, A MEGA PER-" Naruto was too short to bop him over the head, so he settled for a shot in the ribs. "O...k...I'm sorry. Don't tell your father"

"Alright! I'm gonna get dressed, and then we're training. I only got three weeks before the Finals, and Sasuke already has a week on me." Naruto began to walk to the men's changing rooms. "Make sure he doesn't try to escape." he instructed.

Inside, Naruto found his gear. While he was putting on his mesh shirt, he heard a shout, followed by two thumps. He grabbed the rest of his stuff. "What's going on?"

Jiraiya was holding his ribs, and Hinata had her Byakugan activated. Apparently, he'd tried to escape. Like Naruto predicted. Naruto pulled on his jacket.

"Let's go!" He dragged Jiraiya behind him. "I guess I'll see you guys at the Finals!" He waved. Glancing back, Sana seemed to be pestering Hinata about something, and it seemed pretty embarrassing, cause Hinata was blushing.

Naruto stopped at a small clearing in the forest. Right next to a waterfall. He'd trained with Jiraiya there before. Jiraiya picked himself up, after being dragged all the way there.

"Alright kid, why do you want me to train you?"

"You said that when I graduated, you'd let me sign the contract!" Naruto had been looking forward to that since he'd first seen one of the toads.

"Ohh yeah...welp, I guess I better give this to you." He backed away a bit. " _ **Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**_ A massive orange and blue toad appeared.

"Hey Gama!" Naruto greeted.

" **So, Jiraiya's letting you sign the contract now…'bout time."** He rolled his tongue out. Jiraiya plucked the scroll from him, and Gama went up in smoke, going back to wherever toads came from.

"Just sign your name, and put your hand print here." Jiraiya instructed. "Follow the examples." Naruto read through the scrolls.

"Dad used toads too!" Naruto bit his thumb, drawing his name on the scroll, before printing his hand at the bottom. "That's it?"

"Yup...but I should make sure that you can summon them safely. Just use your blood as a medium. It won't work without it." Jiraiya demonstrated slowly, making sure Naruto saw the hand signs. "Now you try."

Naruto backed up. He quickly went through the signs before slamming his hand into the ground. " _ **Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**_ Markings appeared in a concentric circle around his hand, before it erupted into smoke. When it cleared, there was a single tadpole laying there.

"..."

"What?! Where's the toad?!" Naruto screeched.

"What happened to your control?! This should be easy!" Jiraiya asked. With Naruto's chakra capacity, he expected a toad at least the size of Gama, not some newborn.

"I don't know! It's been like this since the preliminaries! Even my shadow clones are messed up."

"...Isn't that where you almost died?"

"Yeah...how'd you know?"

"You think Kakashi wouldn't tell me if my godson was in trouble. He also said that you've been using the fox's chakra more?"

"I guess...I didn't know being a ninja could get me so angry…" Jiraiya sighed. He suspected that there was too much Kyuubi chakra in his network, because of the moment where Naruto wasn't producing any of his own chakra, allowing the demonic chakra to build up. ' _I'd need the Byakugan to be sure though!'_

"Control your temper...the only way to fix this is to use up fox chakra...I wanted to wait until you were 16, but I guess you're mature enough. I'm gonna teach you how to use the Kyuubi's chakra on demand."

"Really!"

"Yeah kid...look. You access the chakra when you're mad or in a life-threatening situation." Naruto nodded. "There's no way to simulate that kind of situation, so to activate it, either the fox is gonna give it to you, which isn't likely, or you'll have to get angry."

"...What do you mean?"

"You need to remember something that makes you angry. Try it. It might help if you meditate." Naruto sat down, hands across his lap.

' _Something that makes me mad…Nothing….'_

"Try something that you hate…"

' _I hate people who hurt Hinata, like those Kumo nin who tried to kidnap her!'_ Chakra began to flare around Naruto.

" **You hate the Kumo ninja...we could go there and take revenge. With my power, you'd be strong enough…"**

"Naruto, listen to me. You need to resist the voice of the fox. His chakra is a blessing and a curse. It's potent, powerful, but his voice will always urge you to remove the seal…Don't listen...Try to think of something worse…"

' _The Hyuuga...they always hurt her…'_ A second tail began to curl up.

" **The Hyuuga are so close...You can avenge the girl…"** The voice was louder now, and Naruto found a voice in the back of his head agreeing. It was unsettling. This voice that felt like it was more real than Naruto was.

"Keep going…"

' _Even worse?'_ Naruto searched his mind. ' _Hey!'_ The voice said. ' _Remember the time that the entire village chased us, and they hung us on the stake...and they hit Hinata, the only person willing to stand up to them...she was always nicer than the others.'_ Naruto's mind began to replay the scene in his mind. The third tail bubbled up.

" **They hurt so badly...They didn't care if you died! They just wanted to torture you! They are the enemy!"**

" **The enemy…"** Naruto repeated. He began to stir. He wanted to kill something.

"Naruto! Stay calm!"

' _And Orochimaru! The bodies! He wanted to take Sasuke away! He broke Hinata broke!"_

" **NO!"** Naruto's eyes shot open, a fourth tail shooting upwards. His skin began to peel away.

"Naruto!" Jiraiya rushed forward, driving his hand into the seal. The chakra cut off, knocking Naruto out cold.

When Naruto came to, he was laying against a tree. Jiraiya was pacing nearby.

"Ero-sennin?" Jiraiya jumped.

"Okay...try to make some clones…"

"Uhh…" Naruto brought his hands together. " **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"** Hundreds of Naruto's appeared in the trees, some attached to others. A cheer erupted through the forest.

"I DID IT!" Every Naruto yelled, cutting Jiraiya's hearing. "YES!" Naruto dispelled the clones.

"Alright kid...look. You shouldn't go past two tails...you started to become grouchy after that.

"Okay! I can use the fox's cool chakra now!" Naruto cheered. "...wait...I had to meditate to do that...so how can I use that in combat?"

"Use your Wind:Release as cover for the meditation. Now, try to summon Gamakichi."

Naruto nodded. ' _ **Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**_ Naruto poured as much chakra as possible. The circle erupted into smoke, and Naruto was quickly propelled into the air. He was on top of a giant dark red toad. It seemed to be smoking a pipe of some sort, and a sword was at its side.

"Jiraiya!" It yelled. "Why'd you summon me?!" Naruto ran down towards the roads eyes. "And what's a squirt like you doing here?!"

"Hey! I summoned you! I have the contract now!" The toad began to laugh.

"How could somebody as small as you, summon me, Gamabunta?! I'm the toad boss!" Naruto was a little miffed.

"Hey look! I summoned you, just like my dad did! That means you gotta listen to me!"

"You haven't even drunk Sake yet! And I'm in charge of you! I think I'll make you my henchmen!"

"I'm nobody's henchman! I summoned you! And Sake is disgusting!" They ended up arguing almost the entire day.

The following weeks were some of the best in Naruto's life. He got to train with Jiraiya, who, despite his flaws, was a great teacher. Naruto was getting faster, stronger, and becoming a specialist in Taijutsu. Jiraiya Trainer him in Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Tactical fighting, and stealth, but Naruto's favorite was Kyuubi chakra. Jiraiya has him sit down and meditate, draw out the fox chakra, and practice molding it until he could easily create thousands of clones.

" **I don't appreciate having my chakra taken every day…"**

' _Well you gotta pay rent somehow.'_ He was trying to use as little chakra as possible. Big Ninjutsu were great, but the smaller ones were extremely hard with the Kyuubi's potent chakra. He was trying to do the leaf exercise, but he kept burning the leaf to a crisp.

Hinata has visited a few times, astonished to see Naruto surrounded by the Kyuubi cloak. She had promptly left Jiraiya lying on the floor in pain after telling him off for getting Naruto into trouble.

It also turned out that the cloak had a time limit. Naruto could only use the two-tailed cloak for 5 minutes, before the Kyuubi's will began to overpower him. The one-tailed cloak lasted roughly half an hour. Jiraiya had two new scars after learning that.

Naruto was having fun. He had a teacher, who was very willing to help him get better. He almost felt over prepared for his fight with Neji.

"I wonder how Sasuke's training is going?"

"You mean the emo looking kid? You know, if you win your fight and he wins his, you'll probably fight each other…" he took a bite out of his apple. "I don't know…" He was looking through his telescope, giggling freely. ' _Perv…'_

"Yeah! You're right. I'll finally get to show the village that I'm not the worst!" Naruto jumped up. "But that seems a little mean to Sasuke…"

"Hey! You're a ninja! Don't worry about it."

Over with Hinata, things were going just as well. Sana was turning out to be a really good friend, and she almost seems like a female Naruto. Blunt, loud, proud. Her sister was being Hinabi, always poking around her things, always asking about Naruto. Neji was Neji. Tenten, Ino and Sakura were nice. Naruto had found a great(albeit perverted) teacher, and most surprisingly, her father had flipped his switch. He'd started taking an interest in Hinata's day. He began to watch her training, He seems to argue with the elders more than usual, and he just generally paid more attention. Hinata didn't understand the change, and she didn't know if it was permanent or temporary, which is why she never told Naruto, but she loved it. Things were finally going her way. Now if only Naruto wasn't so oblivious.

Finally, the day of the Finals arrived. Naruto had been up since 5:00 waiting for the people to move towards the Colosseum. Jiraiya had to manage his spy network, and wouldn't be there to watch the finals, but he'd be back soon after, and that was enough for Naruto.

He heard the crowds moving. He checked his alarm clock. 9:40. He vaulted out his door. Running across his training field. He could see the crowds moving ahead of him. The Colosseum looked over them. He could already feel the excitement.

Entering through the gate for participants, he saw that most of the fighters were already there. Even Shikamaru was there. The only people missing were Sasuke and that Dosu guy from sound.

"Alright participants! I'm Genma Shiranui, and I'm the proctor for the finals! The rules are the same as the preliminaries, and when I say the match is over, the match is over!" He glared at Neji. "Any questions?"

"Where's that sound guy?" Temari asked.

"Dosu won't be participating. Here are the new matches.

 _Naruto vs. Neji_

 _Sasuke vs. Gaara_

 _Shino vs. Kankuro_

 _Shikamaru vs. Temari_

"What about Sasuke?"

"If he isn't here by the time his match starts, he will be disqualified! Now then, we'll wait until the crowd settles down before we start. Be on your best behavior."

Naruto was frantic. Sasuke would never miss his fight. Kakashi was probably giving him some last minute training or something. He'd be here...right!

Naruto shook his head, trying to concentrate on his upcoming fight. Neji was in for a world of hurt. But Hinata has made him promise not to hurt Neji to bad.

' _I won't break him, I'll just hurt him enough that he'll never want to be a ninja again…'_ Naruto was feeling particularly evil today.

Speaking of Hinata, Naruto spotted her in He clan area of the audience. She was sitting with her sister Hinabi, and her father Hiashi. Something was off though, and it took Naruto a moment to place it. It was Hinata's body language. She sat with her father as if she was content which wasn't normal for Hinata. Normally she tried to make herself as small as possible, but she was just sitting there. Maybe Hiashi had taken his advice, and had turned a new leaf, but even then, Naruto unto wasn't sure if Hiashi was any good.

He felt a stir behind him. Neji had his Byakugan active, glaring at Naruto, a large amount of killer intent leaking off him. Naruto was unaffected, feeling much more from the Fox when he was mad, and Gaara didn't react at all, but every other participant shuffled their feet, glancing between them.

"What?" Naruto asked. Neji turned away.

"Settle down!" They looked up. The Hokage was standing over the crowd, smiling down at them. "Welcome, to the Chunin Exam Finals!" He let the crowd roar, waiting for them to calm down again. "I have the 4th Kazekage with me her today! We are looking forward to the fights today! All three of his children are participating today, and our own Uchiha! So please, once you are all prepared, let the Finals begin!

"All the participants other than the two fighters, please go up the stairs to the preparation booth!" Genma instructed. "Naruto and Neji! Please step forward!" They waited for the others to leave the arena. "This will be a clean fight. I don't care how long it takes, but when I call it, you will stop. Got it?" The boys nodded. Out the corner of his eye, Naruto saw Hinata straighten up a little, and Hiashi was staring intently at him, Byakugan activated.

"I don't know what you did to gain Hiashi-sama's favor, but you will be put in your place. A failure is always a failure, no matter how powerful their friends are."

"That's not true!" Naruto cried. "You always talk about fate, and stuff. I'll prove that you control your own destiny." He settles into his brawler stance. Neji settled into the Juuken stance. "I'll avenge Hinata…"

Genma, satisfied that they were prepared raised his hand. "Go!" He jumped away. Naruto peered around, seeing that the audience was watching intently. They were whispering, and from the few things Naruto heard, they were not kind.

"The Hyuuga'll put the demon in his place."

"Yeah...He's their prodigy."

"Always boasting about being Hokage…"

"This'll be entertaining…" it was pissing Naruto off.

' _Don't need the Fox…Yet.'_ Naruto breathed deeply, drowning out the voices. Neji was still standing, waiting for the first move. He wanted Naruto close, so he could shut down Naruto's network.

' _Yeah...that's not going to happen…'_

* * *

 **So I'm not sure when the next chapter will come. I'm going back to writing right after I post this, but I have some tests coming up, so don't expect one for at least a month. It won't be too long though. I can promise that.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! Happy Belated Mother's Day! I've finally finished this chapter. It's nice to be able to get the ideas out of my head. I'm hoping to post another chapter soon, but...Anyway, I hope you guys like it. Enjoy! :)**

 **P.S.**

 **Please Review. You guys are my motivation! The more reviews I get, the more I want to write. And then I know what you think of the story.**

* * *

 _Naruto's POV_

Naruto backed away refusing to allow Neji any chance of attack. He curled his lip. Obviously, his best bet would be to use projectiles, and pick Neji off from a distance, but projectiles weren't his forte, and the Hyuuga knew their weakness was range, and probably had techniques against ranged attacks, and Naruto prefered to be up close and personal.

Neji began to step forward, trying to close the gap. Naruto knew that he had limited space, before he needed to either attack, or defend. Picking his special kunai, he flung it at Neji's face, hoping to set a trap for later. Neji just moved his head, and the kunai soared passed him, settling in the dirt near the center of the arena.

"Pointless." Neji moved forward again. Naruto back away. Naruto began to enter the shadows of the wall, meaning that he was really close to the wall. He'd thought he had more space.

"He's looking scared…"

"Just like that night…" Naruto whirled around. He vaguely recognized the face. The guy who hit Hinata back then.

"You shouldn't have turned your back." Neji said, dangerously close. Naruto jumped, all semblance of strategy forgotten, and launched himself at Neji. Naruto decked him in the jaw, before jabbing an elbow into his throat. He stumbled away.

The arena grew quiet, watching in anticipation. Neji's eyes hardened, veins crawling along his skin. "Unexpected. You are still fated to lose." Naruto ignored him.

' _Just keep in control…'_ Naruto didn't want to let the fox out unless it was necessary. "Bullshit. I'll hit you again." Naruto ran forward, cocking his fist back in an obvious move. Neji smirked, completely prepared to shut down the arm. Naruto disappeared before his eyes.

He reappeared by Neji's side, which Neji saw easily with his Byakugan. Even then he was unprepared for the attack, and it grazed by Neji's cheek.

Neji was getting frustrated. Fate was on his side, so it should have been an easy win. And the elders had said that Hiashi's sudden change had been the result of the Namikaze boy. He **had** to beat him. He didn't want his seal activated again.

"Give up." Neji said. Naruto grinned inwardly. He could tell that Neji was starting to worry. That was good. Naruto slowly stepped forward, and Neji narrowed his eyes. He began to feed more chakra to his eyes, and his veins bulged as the pumped chakra and blood to the eyes.

Naruto kicked forward, seemingly gliding across the ground, one arm behind him, one arm in front of his chest. He tried to elbow Neji, who stepped to Naruto's right. Naruto spun on his heel, his hind elbow nailing Neji's gut. Neji's eyes widened, and spit flew out of his mouth. Naruto tried to dodge it, and in his distraction, Neji struck the joints on his elbow. Naruto's arms flopped to his side.

Neji tried to push his sudden advantage, but Naruto weaved his way out of Neji's range, before escaping the entire area. He stopped at the other side of the arena, arm flopping all the while.

"You're arm is useless now. Forfeit. You are fated to lose, and it will be proven." Naruto ignored him. He began to transfer chakra from his chest, into his arms. He began to tremble as his Tenketsu was forced open. It hurt. It burned.

"You are wasting chakra. It is futile."

"I've...got enough...to spare…" Naruto panted in pain. The pain began to fade away. "It doesn't matter how many you close...I can keep opening them all day…" ' _But I really don't want to…It hurts!'_

"You may have abnormally large reserves, however, you will succumb to fate. I will shut down your entire system, and you will be unable to reopen them. Just like Hinata." Naruto growled. He zig-zagged towards Neji, who raised his hands in guard. Naruto kicked forward, right foot out, aiming for Neji's stomach. Neji side stepped, chopping down at Naruto's knee. Naruto pulled his knee back, bringing his leg behind him, and contorted his body around, trying to hit Neji with his heel. Neji was prepared and dodged backwards, retreating slightly.

" _ **Shadow Clone Jutsu!"**_ 5 Naruto clones appeared. Neji was unable to see any difference between him and them, and the real Naruto was lost amongst the clones. They rushed him in a semi circle, attempting to mob him. He parried their weak attempts, dispelling them one by one. "Got you…" he heard in is ear. The real Naruto had snuck around him.

Neji was unable to turn around in time, and could only watch as Naruto disappeared from his line of sight. ' _He knows the blind spot!'_ Neji dodged left, just before Naruto's fist smashed into the ground. "How?!" Even Hiashi stood when he realized what happened.

"You think training with Hina-chan wouldn't teach me a few things?" Naruto smirked.

"She is weak. No amount of training will make her better." Naruto stopped smiling.

"Why do you say that? Hinata is stronger than you think. And at least she tries to get better."

"...And that means?" Naruto flicked his Hiate.

"You're too scared to try and make things better. And you're to focused on your own problems to realize that other people go through worse than you ever have." He raised his fist, mirroring his pledge on Hinata's blood. "I'll have to beat that out of you."

Neji narrowed his eyes. He slowly untied his Hiate, revealing the cursed seal.

"From the moment my father was born, I was destined to receive this seal. That is proof that fate is real. From the moment you are born, your path is laid out before you. You have no say in how strong you are, just as I had no choice in gaining this seal." Naruto scowled.

"There's only a few things you can't control. Other people's choices, and who and where you were born. Maybe you were 'fated' to get your stupid seal, but you can decide just how good you get, and how you want to live life." Naruto removed his jacket. "And guess what? You're not the only one with a seal." He removed his mesh shirt. Molding a small amount of chakra, his seal flared onto his stomach. The audience was jittery. They didn't like being reminded that their greatest enemy was hidden just behind a couple strokes of a brush.

"I got this seal only a couple hours after I was born...and most of the people here hate me for it. But I'm happy, cause I decided that I wouldn't let them stop me from reaching my dreams. Hinata is getting stronger, you just refuse to see it." Naruto voice began to seeth. "You're all assholes! Fates the cowards way out! And to oppress someone for something they had no control over is evil!" HIs intent began to flash outwards, and seal was turning red. "But I can understand why…even if I wish it wasn't true..." He put his shirt back on. "So...if I win, I've proven that fate doesn't exist?"

"You are fated to lose, but if that is what you must believe, I will not stop you." Naruto snarled.

"I'll prove it. I'll carve my own path in this world. I'll be the greatest ninja ever…" _For you...Mom and Dad.'_ Slowly, a strategy came to mind. He had one shot to knock Neji out. If he was able to use the Hiraishin well enough, he could catch Neji by surprise, hopefully winning the match. He had to get Neji near the kunai. And he knew how to do it.

"Arghhh!" Naruto rushed forward. He had to bait Neji. He began a flurry of punches, knowing that Neji would simply deflect them. He just wanted to get Neji to attack. He added kicks into the flurry, trying to force Neji to either succumb to the blows, or attack.

Neji was trying to concentrate. Naruto moved fast, and blocking punches and kicks from someone with almost limitless stamina was stressful, and energy consuming. He noticed a pattern in Naruto's attacks. A kick came along with every third punch from Naruto's right hand. On the next cycle, Neji grabbed Naruto's leg, pulling Naruto off balance.

Naruto fell backwards, dragging Neji towards him. Neji's palms began to glow, intent on striking Naruto's exposed chest. Naruto laughed, and Neji raised an eyebrow.

"Bye!" Naruto disappeared in smoke, and in his place lay the special kunai thrown before. Neji saw him reappear where the kunai had been before. He picked up the kunai, examining it. It was triple pronged, seemingly designed for stabbing, instead of piercing like a normal kunai. It also had an odd symbol wrapped around the handle. While Neji could see that it was chakra activated, it wasn't an exploding seal, so he dropped his guard.

"So you've moved. You have only delayed your loss. In his line of sight, a large amount of chakra appeared in the seal, and it began to heat in his hand. Before he knew it, he was flying backwards. The audience was on the edge of their seats. The Demon Brat had used the Fourth's signature Jutsu. He would pay.

Naruto grabbed his kunai. It had worked. Neji was embedded in the wall on the opposite side of the arena. Naruto had poured all his chakra and strength into that attack. And it had paid off. Naruto went over to Neji.

"I won. I fought your fate and I won." He looked into the stands, directly at Hinata.

"You are within the range of my divination."

"Wha-"

" _ **Hakke Rokujuuyonshou! Two!"**_ Naruto felt jabs on his stomach, and his abs became numb. " _ **Four!"**_ His chest began to burn. " _ **Eight!"**_ His shoulders stopped responding. " _ **Sixteen!"**_ His arms gave way. " _ **Thirtytwo!"**_ Naruto's legs began to quake. " _ **Sixtyfour!"**_ Naruto was blown backwards, flying across the arena floor, before scraping his skin across the ground.

' _Why didn't I check?!"_ He screamed at his own cockyness. That wasn't how a Hokage acted. He shuddered in pain.

"End the match proctor. His chakra system has been shut down. He is unable to fight." Naruto heard. Neji and the proctor were walking towards him.

' _I promised! I swore I would win for Hinata!'_ He brought himself to his feet. ' _I refuse to let her down!'_ He knew that he had to open his Tenketsu again to even stand a chance against Neji, but he didn't have anywhere to redirect chakra from. ' _Keep going! Never give up!'_

"Your chakra system is unresponsive. You will lose."

"Don't...don't make me repeat myself…" He grinned. "I promised...and I never go back on my word...that's Hinata and my own ninja way...and I refuse to abandon it…"

"You are an idiot ninja, with no future. You will die out in the world, where no one cares about you. Give up!" Neji was getting pissed. How could Naruto stand against odds like this and refuse to give in. It started making Neji feel guilty for giving in himself. "You are a failure!"

For some reason, this shook Naruto the wrong way. Yeah, he knew he wasn't the smartest ninja, or the best fighter. Yeah, he was reckless, immature, bratty. But when he had to, he pulled through. That's all that mattered, right? He didn't need to be the best to become Hokage, he just needed to persevere. He didn't have to be perfect, just to respect his parents...right?

' **He's right...you're a disgrace to your parents.'**

The audience began to jeer. They were seeing the Demon Brat put in his place. He had been running around too long, and they loved seeing him suffer.

"Yeah! Idiot ninja! You never should have graduated!"

"Leave! You're not welcome!

"You're gonna lose anyway!

"Give up!"

The audience shouted at him, making Naruto feel worse and worse. However, one comment, pushed Naruto over the edge.

"You're a failure, just like your parents!"

Blood rushed in Naruto's ears. " **SHUT UP!"** Red chakra raced outwards around Naruto, drawing cracks in the arena floor. A crater appeared around Naruto, growing with every pulse. The audience definitely shut up, and several people needed a change. " **My parents were heroes...and no one here will disrespect them."** He turned to Neji. " **And you know why you're wrong? I do have people who care about me. Kakashi-Sensei, Sasuke, Jiji, Hi** nata...they care. I won't die, because I'll win. I told you I'd carve my own fate."

Neji had seen his Tenketsu burst open, and the proctor hadn't called the match yet, so he would have to seal them all again. "I will defeat you, again and again. You will fall!" This time Neji was the one on the offensive. He wanted to end this! He was fated to win, so why was it so hard?! His palms were burning, and his head was pounding. He was forcing chakra into his eyes and hands. He was hurting himself.

Naruto ramped up the speed, dodging everything Neji threw at him. He ducked, jumped, twisted, stepped, slipped, anything to escape the attacks. He threw his own punch, completely stopping Neji's attack. Neji heaved, the pain in his gut reaching unbearable levels.

Naruto didn't care anymore. He didn't push the advantage. He had to prove that Neji was wrong, and he had to outlast him. ' _Just keep going...for Hinata!'_

Naruto held his hand behind his back, spinning his chakra into a ball. The slight whirring sound was heard, and he was holding The Rasengan behind his back.

"I can see it. The Byakugan can see all." Neji stated, recovering from the earlier blow.

"Doesn't matter. _**Rasengan!"**_ Naruto ran forward, arm outstretched. Neji side stepped, and Naruto barreled past him. Naruto turned on his heels. Neji was smirking.

"It doesn't matter how powerful the attack is, if it is unable to connect." Naruto ran forwards again, and Neji began to step again, but this time. Naruto launched himself into the sky, right into the sun, which Neji could barely see into. Naruto forced more chakra into the sphere, and The Rasengan threatened to burst. He began to fall back to the earth, prepared to wreak destruction on his target.

" _ **Kaiten!"**_ Neji began to spin his chakra around him, forming a protective shield against The Rasengan. Naruto brought it down on the sphere, and the Ultimate Defense began to sink into the ground, trying to hold back The Rasengan's power. Both Jutsu began to dissipate, and Naruto landed on the ground just outside the Kaiten circle. The Kaiten dissipated, and revealed that a panting Neji was in the middle of a 4 foot deep crater.

"Not so Ultimate, is it?" Naruto smirked down at Neji.

"Again, it did not connect, and your Tenketsu show that that was full power. Fate will prevail, as it always has." Neji was right. Naruto's hand was burning, and he couldn't make a more powerful Jutsu. He needed to get stronger.

Neji jumped out of the crater, resuming the offensive. Naruto needed time. He needed to meditate. While dodging, he performed the hand signs as subtle as possible. _Dog...Horse...Bird…_

" _ **Futon: Toppa!"**_ Neji was caught unawares, and was blown backwards a good couple of meters. When he was on his feet again, Naruto was sitting on the floor, meditating. His chakra network was beginning to swirl around the seal he'd shown earlier.

"Are you giving up? This is a fight, we do not meditate!" Naruto ignored him, however, his brow furrowed.

On the inside, Naruto was going through his worst memories, drawing out the fox's chakra.

' **Stop taking my chakra.'**

' _I need it!'_ Naruto thought about HInata. Somehow, she always seemed to be the trigger. The scene played in his mind. Neji had beaten Hinata down, and when she tried to stand, he tried to kill her! The crack appeared, and the chakra began to leak. ' _Hinata is put down everyday!'_ Another crack. Then, Naruto began to think about something that had been bothering him for a while. ' _...I've been ignoring her...I'm too focused on Sasuke...I'm a...I'm a shitty friend.'_ The dam broke. Chakra bubbled up, forming a singular tail. Naruto's nails lengthened, cutting into his closed fist. His birthmarks became more pronounced. His hair became wilder, and when he opened his eyes, they were blood red slits. The intent leaked outwards, and Neji instinctively shirked away. He recognized that feeling from nightmares he'd had when he was younger.

" **For Hinata…I'll make it up to you!"** Tears dripped down Naruto's face. He stood, or, crouched on all fours. He was growling.

"That power will not be sufficient."

" **Oh yeah?** _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ The arena was covered in red Naruto's. They all prowled around Neji, like they had surrounded their prey. " **I think it's time for you to give up!"** One shouted.

"Fate has deemed me the victor!"

" **You don't look like a victor…"** Neji snarled, striking the nearest one, who went up in smoke. The army pounced.

" _ **Kaiten!"**_ Almost every Naruto was destroyed. Only one remained. The original. And he had a new slightly red ball in his palm.

" _ **Yoko Rasengan!"**_ He smashed the Rasengan into The Ultimate Defense, which crumbled under the pressure. It pierced the shield, nailing Neji in the shoulder. The defense disappeared. Neji gripped the wound, which oozed blood. The Rasengan pushed Neji into the ground, leaving him on his knees. Naruto kicked him in the rib. Neji bounced against the wall of the crater, and got an uppercut to the chin, launching Neji into the air. Naruto was over him, slamming both hands into Neji's groin, before kicking Neji backwards. Neji fell back to the earth, completely exhausted. It was _his_ muscles that weren't responding. The cloak faded from Naruto.

"Forfeit! Or I'll knock you out. You're choice."

"...Proctor...I...I concede…"

"Winner by Forfeit, Naruto Namikaze!" The arena was silent. Naruto knew it. He'd given them a fight, but because he wasn't the one on the ground, they wouldn't applaud.

"...Perhaps...perhaps I was fated to lose…" Naruto looked back down. Medic-nin were coming to put Neji on a stretcher. He shook his head.

"No. Stop it with the fate. I wasn't fated to win or lose...Look. People who use fate as an excuse, are just to scared or lazy to change it. You fought hard, I fought hard...we both could have won. But I did, because I didn't let fate decide. When you sealed my Tenketsu, I decided that I wouldn't let myself lose...and that's why I won. I made that decision, the same way you decided to be a prick today...fate is...fate can't exist...because then I can't decide...I have to be able to decide...So fight for a better future…

"...Do you think...do you think that Hinata will forgive me…?"

"Yes. She always has, and always will...even when I told her you were insufferable. And the seal...I'm sure there's someone out there who can erase it. Every seal has a counter, you just have to find it."

"...maybe…"

"Fate is just a way to excuse your life. You don't know what to do about the seal, so you said fate was real, so that you never had to try...I almost did that once...Just promise me that you won't give up anymore."

"...I...I promise…"

"Good." The medic ninja put Neji on the stretcher. They began to move towards the doors. Naruto walked alongside them, trying to get to the stairs. He needed a little rest.

"...One...one more question…"

"Yeah?"

"...How are you able to convince people so easily?"

"Huh?"

"Hinata became more confident...Hiashi-Sama has completely flipped. He has taken much more interest in Hinata than the clan."

"He did?!"

"Uh-huh…"

"Wow…" ' _I guess he did listen…'_

"And The Last Uchiha...you and Hinata are his only friends…"

"How do you know that?"

"...It is a Hyuuga's duty to know what happens within Konoha...but you didn't answer...How did you change them all? How did you change me?"

"...Because I speak from experience. I feel better now because I changed. I know what it feels like to be hated, so I connect with Hina-chan. I know what having no parents is like, so I connect with Sasuke...I know how loss affects people. I see it everyday...so I can explain it to Hiashi...I know how it feels to blame fate...so I change you...I...I just want everybody to be happy...I just want peace...That's why I _have_ to be Hokage...I need to fix the ninja world. No more war...just peace. I will succeed, because I have to, and I won't give up, cause that's Hina-chan and my-"

-ninja way…" He smiled. "...I will fight for m-my fu-futu…" He drifted off, succumbing to the pain. Naruto smiled inwardly. Getting Neji to change was a better reward than any audience's applause...

He climbed the stairs to the waiting area.

"You did it!"

"You won!" Kiba and Sana were at the door to the waiting room. Kiba slapped Naruto on the back, causing Naruto to hiss in pain. He was going to be sore tomorrow.

"Great job!" Sana congratulated.

"You won!" A new voice said. Naruto spun around, assaulted by blue hair. Hinata was hugging him, which made Naruto feel really warm.

"I did it for you...:" She nodded on his shoulder. Naruto looked over. Kiba and Sana had weird looks on their faces. "What?"

Hinata jumped backwards. She couldn't believe she'd just jumped on Naruto. How could she! She hid her red face in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Naruto peered at her. "Hina-chan?" Naruto felt like he was missing something. "Whatever...are you guys even allowed here, since this is for participants…"

"We're Shino's teammates, so yeah! We were just waiting for you."

"Yeah, that was an epic match. I didn't think you could beat him so badly!" Kiba yelled. Akamaru yipped at Naruto's heels. "And at the end! Kami!" Kiba began to trail off, going through the doors to the waiting area.

"Sooo…" Sana began, "Why was your demon cloak thing different this time? It looked painful." Of course she would ask about that.

"It was painful…" He glared at his stomach.

' **It's my only retribution.'**

' _Yeah, well fuck you.'_ Naruto said to The Kyuubi.

"Would Sasuke U-...the Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara match will be postponed until later-"

' _Of course Sasuke gets special privileges…'_

"-so would Shino Aburame and Kankuro of The Sand please come to the arena!" The proctor shouted. Naruto passed Shino and Kankuro on his way through the waiting room.

"Y-you did well, Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered.

"Thanks!" Naruto responded, before his brain started working. ' _I've been ignoring Hinata! I gotta be a better friend!'_ "What happened with your dad?" ' _That's what you asked about?!'_

"Ohh...he did a complete 180! He's taking interest in my life, and he doesn't just listen to the council. Did you know that he also likes flower pressing?!" Hinata seemed to be surrounded by happiness. She was just butterflies and rainbows. It made Naruto feel good. That's all he wanted, to be happy with his friends.

"Hiashi-teme likes flower pressing?" Naruto looked at a picture of the stoic Hiashi in his mind. "Wow...never thought there was another Hyuuga like that…"Naruto laughed. She nodded enthusiastically.

"It was really surprising!" She drifted off into her own world.

' _I hope she doesn't find out it was me...don't want her to think Hiashi-teme doesn't care.'_

"Begin!"

"Proctor, I forfeit!" Kankuro said. Shino didn't react, but the audience, still riled up from watching the fight before were pissed.

"Hey!"

"These are the Finals! You can't quit!"

"Boring!"

"Winner by forfeit, Shino Aburame!" Shino set back to the stairs, with Kankuro following behind. The audience was still yelling. "Shikamaru Nara and Temari of The Sand, please come to the stage!"

"Ugh...maybe I should forfeit too…" Naruto heard Shikamaru mutter. 'I don't feel like fighting a girl…" Of course Shikamaru would say that.

Naruto grinned evilly. "Not on my watch..." Temari was already waiting at the center of the arena, staring up at Shikamaru. "Hey Shikamaru! Let's go!" Naruto pushed him over the edge, where Shikamaru fell to the ground.

"Oww…" He glared up at the waiting area

"Stop being so lazy!" Naruto screamed down at him.

"Dumb Blonde…"

"What'd you say?!" Temari asked, voice leaking venom.

"Nothing…" He dusted himself off, and with one more glare at Naruto, met Temari in the center.

"Ready? Begin!" Temari whipped her fan out. She threw attacks around, trying to nail Shikamaru with a strike. "Stop dodging!"

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered. She was whipping up the rocks and dust created during Naruto's fight, slowly creating a smokescreen. He formed a hand sign, while dodging another gust of air. His shadow began to race from under him.

"I know that's what you want! You just want to use the dust to hide your shadow. Well? I'm ready!" She was intently staring at the ground around her. The shadow raced out from her left, to which she jumped backwards. The shadow continued to follow her, even as she kept going backwards.

It came to an abrupt halt, roughly half a foot from Temari's foot. She drew a line on the ground, just at the edge of the shadow. "That's your limit!" The shadow retreated away, disappearing into the dust.

' _Troublesome…'_ Shikamaru thought from behind the tree. ' _She's too far…'_

"So that's the game we're playing?!" Temari shouted when the dust cleared. She knew that the longer she dragged this fight out, the easier it would be for him, but if she got too close, it was game over. So she continued to assault his tree with wind jutsu, hoping that eventually he would be forced to come out.

From behind the tree, Shikamaru was formulating a plan. There were craters strew around the arena, from Naruto and Neji's fight. They could supply shadows for later. However, it would be in his best interests if she didn't know that. He took off his jacket.

The fight dragged on, as Shikamaru did who knows what. Temari was getting frustrated. She didn't really have that many options here. Suddenly, a kunai raced out from the tree. She stopped it with her fan, and out the corner of her eye, she saw his shadow approach again. It stopped at the line again, and for a second, she was sure he had no idea what to do, but then it shot forward, just barely brushing her shoe before she escaped. He was gathering shadows from the wall. She dodged left again, and he continued to chase her. It stopped abruptly, and she drew the line again.

"It won't work!" She called. The sun was on her right. She did notice that she couldn't see the sun anymore. Glancing up, she saw that his jacket was attached to a kunai, and floating towards her. The shadow, raced underneath it, before rushing forwards again. It was becoming very annoying.

Suddenly, the shadow made an abrupt right, rushing away from her. "What?!" She tried to stepped back once more, trying to avoid any traps he'd set. She couldn't move. Her muscles began to move themselves. "H-how?!" He stepped out from behind the tree.

He walked forwards, and she walked to meet him. "The craters. They had extra shadows." He yawned. "I never actually used all my shadows when I chased you. I sent half around you, using the craters as cover. So that line you drew was half the distance.

Temari sighed. She'd been beat the moment she drew the line. "What now?" She had to admit, she had a grudging respect for this kid. He was good.

He raised his arm, forcing her to do the same. "Proctor…" He said. "I quit."

1

2

3

"NANI!" Temari shouted. He'd won the fight, but conceded?

"Jeez, be quiet." He groaned. "I'm tired. I don't have a good way to knock you out, and my chakra's not gonna last much longer...troublesome. So I quit."

"W-winner, Temari of The Sand!" The audience applauded. They didn't really understand what had transpired, but it was entertaining. He released Temari from the Jutsu, before slowly walking to the stairs. She stared at him for a moment, before bonking him on the head.

"Hey!"

"You can't just do that! I lost!"

"Tch...women…"

"Huh!"

"Shikamaru's really smart!" Naruto said to Hinata.

"Yeah...I would've used all my power…" She responded. "If he applied himself…"

"He would'a beat Sasuke as rookie...where is that Emo anyway?"

"Maybe Kakashi's rubbed off on him?" She smirked. Naruto chuckled.

"I hope not. Next thing you know, He's gonna start wearing two masks and reading porn."

"There will be a ten minute break between now and Sasuke Uchiha's fight!" The proctor said. The audience shifted, conversing with each other. Gaara sat in the corner o the room, grinning to himself. Naruto felt weird around him. He had no qualms with killing, and actually seemed to enjoy it. He was muttering about Mother.

Shikamaru and Temari entered the room. The others crowded around them, congratulating Shikamaru for doing so well. Even though he'd lost the match, he'd won the battle.

"Congrats, Shikamaru!" Naruto called from the balcony. Shikamaru glared. "What?"

"Troublesome." He said to himself. Naruto laughed.

"Shut up." Gaara said from the corner. Temari and Kankuro glanced at him, with worry int their eyes. The rest of them looked him over, before slowly dissipating away. Naruto could feel the hate rolling off him.

"He's creepy…" He said. No response. Looking over to his left, he saw that Hinata was shaking in fear. Her pale skin was turning white, and her eyes were shrinking. A lot of people were reacting like that as well. Even Temari and Kankuro were shaking.

"Wha-?" Naruto realized that he was being subjected to large amounts of Killing Intent, but he'd been desensitized to any KI from anyone other than the Kyuubi and Iruka. ' _He's scaring Hinata!'_ Naruto sent his own intent at Gaara, easing the pressure in the room. Gaara glanced upwards, locking eyes with Naruto.

"Soon mother." He grinned maniacally. "You shall feast on his blood." He licked his lips. "The blood from before was bad…" Naruto heard everything. He increased the pressure. Now Naruto knew that Gaara was insane. He talked to himself. He wanted to kill. Hopefully Sasuke would be strong enough to fight him.

"Will Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara of the Sand come down to the arena?!" Gaara stood, sauntering out the door. Naruto stopped his own Intent.

"He's still not here!" Naruto cursed to himself. "He can't lose! I wanna fight him!"

"Calm down, Naruto." Hinata placed her her hand on his arm. "Sasuke would never miss his fight. Leaves began to circle into the arena, and low and behold, Sasuke and Kakashi stepped out.

"Oh, are we late?" Kakashi asked.

"Almost! You're super lucky!" Naruto called down from the balcony. Sasuke grinned at him.

"Are both of you ready?" The proctor asked. Kakashi appeared right next to Naruto and Hinata.

"Yo!" Naruto hit his arm.

"You know how late you are?!"

"Like...5 minutes?" Kakashi asked tentatively, staring at a page in his book.

"We had two other matches, and a ten minute break! You missed my match!"

"Oh...did you win?"

"Of course! What'd'you take me for?!"

"Go!" Naruto turned his attention to Sasuke's match. Gaara stood there, letting his sand do its job, while Sasuke tried a few things for a bit, before backing away again. He launched a kunai, before reappearing right behind Gaara. His sand had been defending the kunai, so Sasuke punched him directly in the spine. Gaara stumbled forward, and his sand whipped around, arching out at Sasuke, who jumped back easily.

"How'd you get him to be so fast?!" Naruto asked. Sasuke was moving at weightless Lee speeds. "How hard did he train?!" ' _I can't let him get better than me! I have to train even harder!'_

Sasuke zipped around Gaara, evading his sand, and casually exploiting Gaara's inability to use Taijutsu. At one point, Sasuke hit him so hard that you could hear his sand armour crack. Gaara was bruised, his visible skin beginning to purple. Gaara growled, and some sand rose from the ground around him, taking shape into his own clone.

' _You can't defend forever!'_ Sasuke thought. The sand clone reached out towards him, to which Sasuke just punched through his body. His hand got stuck inside the clones chest, but a simple palm to the face, dismantled the rest of the clone. He felt some sand scrape at his left shoe, and he quickly jumped away from the sand coffin Gaara had attempted. ' _Nice try.'_ "Is that all you got?" Sasuke raised his arm upwards, "Try again." He smirked.

Even though Sasuke had the upper hand, he was the one panting in exertion. His hastily upped speed hadn't given him the endurance to continually use it, and Lee, Gai, Hinata, Sana, Kakashi, and Naruto noticed.

"C'mon Sasuke!" Naruto yelled down. "End it!" Sasuke glanced up at the waiting area. Naruto, being Naruto, was planted on the railing, one push from falling into the arena. Looking back at Gaara, Sasuke saw that Gaara had pushed himself to his feet. Sand was circling around him, and Temari and Kankuro's faces were foreboding, to say the least.

Gaara formed the tiger seal, and his sand arched around him, making him impossible to see. The sand stopped moving, and all that was left was a solid ball of densely packed sand. Sasuke smirked. Gaara was hiding. Rushing forward, he delivered a devastating punch to the ball.

Spikes erupted from the side of the sphere, just grazing Sasuke's fist and nose. Sasuke pulled back slowly, and the spikes disappeared back into the ball. Blood dribbled down his face, and he slowly backed away from the harmless looking ball.

The audience was silent. Their Uchiha had been injured. Hinata used the Byakugan to peer through the ball, seeing Gaara's chakra network. "He's preparing a big Jutsu!" She whisper screamed to Naruto.

Sasuke abruptly did a backhandspring to the arena wall. He flashed through some signs, before holding his palm out in front of him, one arm in the other.

"Kakashi, don't tell me-" Gai started.

*chirp*

"It is." Kakashi said, putting his book down to watch.

"That-That's the Jutsu you used on the bridge?!" Naruto, recognizing the sound.

*chirp*

In the Hokage's box, he and the Kazekage had risen out of their seats. Hiruzen couldn't believe it. Team 7 was getting strong fast.

' _Sasuke sure is lucky...he even copied my style! His flames of youth are bright!'_

Sasuke jumped off the wall, dragging his arm through the ground, leaving an obvious path of destruction in his wake.

*chirp*

" _ **Chidori!"**_ Sasuke pushed his palm through the sand barrier, which gave way easily to the destructive power of the Jutsu. The spikes attempted to impale him, but they were barely able to form, now that the defense had been penetrated.

"How could you teach him such a reckless move Kakashi?" Gai asked.

"Like you have the right to say anything…" Kakashi grumbled. Sasuke's Sharingan was activated, and he was able to see that his attack had hit Gaara in the arm.

" **What's this warm feeling? It smells…"** Then the pain registered. " **It smells like blood...my blood...my...my-m-"**

" **I'M BLEEDING!"** Gaara's voice emerged from the hole in the sphere. " **AAAUUUUGH"**

Sasuke's Sharingan picked up on an abnormality in Gaara's chakra. His stomach lit up with a dark golden chakra, just like Naruto's lit up with a fiery red. He quickly pulled his hand out, and was blown backwards on his feet. A being made of sand lunged outwards, flailing around in pain. The air was filled with feathers, but Sasuke's Sharingan immediately dispelled the Genjutsu being cast. There were discombobulated shouts of "Kai!" as ninja also dispelled the Genjutsu. The Hokage box went up in smoke.

"Wha-"

"It's an invasion!" The proctor yelled. A blast of wind arched towards them. Gaara emerged from the sphere, clutching his arm, but the sand creature was nowhere to be seen. His sensei and siblings appeared in front of him.

"Gaara, the plan-..." Kankuro shouted. Gaara had collapsed on the ground, whimpering and clutching his head.

"I'm calling it!" Their sensei shouted. They looked at him in panic. "GO!" He commanded. They grabbed Gaara and leapt the wall, towards the west forest, in the direction of the Sand Village.

"Hey! WHat's going on?!" Sasuke asked.

"I already told you...it's an invasion, and that kid was their weapon...The exams are over."

"What?!"

"You're already a Chunin. You're a ninja, now go follow them!" He commanded. Sasuke picked himself up, and raced after Gaara and his siblings.

* * *

 _Sandaime's POV_

Hiruzen had a kunai to his throat. The Kazekage held him, while his guard dispatched of any nearby ninja.

"I never suspected Sand to betray us." He glared at the Kazekage.

"Treaties are fickle, aren't they?" He laughed. "Eh, Sensei?"

"I see...Orochimaru." The Kazekage pulled his face off, showing the sneering face of the Snake Sannin. "I knew this day would come…" Orochimaru Shunshinned them to a nearby rooftop, "But my head will not be removed so easily.

*Shlip*

Hiruzen watched the blood spill. "So you do have regret for killing your former Sensei."

"I refuse to kill a motionless object." Orochimaru whispered, pulling his bleeding hand away from The Sandaime's Neck. "It's just so boring!"

" _ **Ninjutsu: Shishienjin!"**_ A giant barrier went up. Now only Orochimaru and The Sandaime could interact with each other. The Sandaime pulled off his robes, revealing his battle armour underneath.

"You foresaw your own death...Ke ke ke…" Orochimaru pulled off his Kazekage robes, revealing his own outfit. "Oh how I've looked forward to this moment."

Hiruzen glanced around at the barrier. "Looks pretty impenetrable."

"Of course, and would you really like people to interfere, Sensei?"

Ninja crowded around the outside, watching the oncoming fight. Orochimaru's henchmen raised their arms, and another, smaller barrier appeared between them and The Sandaime. Only one person would be leaving this fight.

The Sandaime rushed forward to meet his former student, throwing just one Shuriken. ' _ **Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!'**_ He thought. Orochimaru was surrounded by Shuriken

' _ **Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei!'**_ One coffin sprang up, followed by another.

' _He plans to use them. Whatever I do, I cannot allow the third to rise!'_ He clenched his hands, and the Shuriken planted themselves into the coffins t-with so much force, they restricted the third coffing from rising. ' _Good.'_

The coffin doors fell forward, and two bodies stepped out. "...You've aged Sarutobi…" The white haired one said.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" The long haired one asked.

"Sensei's...I'm sorry we had to meet each other like this…" Tears welled up in his eyes.

"That's Lord First and Second!" A ninja outside shouted.

"I know...I hope that the student surpassed the masters…"

* * *

The first thing Naruto saw when he woke up was Hinata's face. "Wha?" Naruto blinked. The last thing he remembered was seeing feathers in the air around him. "What the hell happened?" Naruto sprang up. The arena had gone up in smoke. There was blood on the walls, and bodies on the floor.

"Sand and Sound invaded." Hinata said. "We have to follow Sas-" Her voice caught in her throat.

"What?" Naruto felt a presence behind him. He ducked, just as a kunai was stabbed where his head had been. In a blow of air, Kakashi had turned the man into another stain on the wall.

"Naruto! Sasuke went after Gaara. Take Shikamaru, Hinata, and Sana with you." Kakashi commanded. " _ **Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**_ A dog appeared in the smoke.

"'Sup Kakashi...oh." The dog growled.

"Pakkun! I need you to track Sasuke. We need to find him!"

"The emo kid? Got it." Kakashi disappeared into the smoke.

"Go wake Shikamaru. I'll wake Sana." Hinata commanded. Naruto's mind was spinning, but he did understand one thing. If he didn't do anything, people would die.

Even if he didn't know how to cast Genjutsu, he could dispel it. That was something Kakashi had made sure would happen. Shikamaru was on the ground, snoozing away, like the rest of the crowd. He placed his hands on Shikamaru's neck, pulsing a little chakra. Shikamaru didn't move. Pakkun came over, sniffing.

"Wake up." Naruto tried again. Shikamaru didn't move. "HEY!" Shikamaru flinched.

"What the...YOU'RE NOT EVEN ASLEEP!"

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru stretched. What do you want?"

"Kakashi-Sensei is making us follow Sasuke, and you're coming with us.

"Yup!" Kakashi reappeared, with Gai along with him. "Now go!" Gai punched a hole in the wall behind them. Hinata and Sana appeared to their left. "Go after Sasuke! Don't let him fight Gaara!"

"Wait, what happened?!" Naruto yelled, already jumping out the hole after Pakkun.

"I'll explain later!" Hinata shouted. She and Sana followed him, with Shikamaru reluctantly jumping after them.

"You sure they'll be enough?" Gai asked.

"It's Naruto. Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja."

 _Time Skip_

Pakkun had picked up Sasuke's scent, and they entered the west forest outside of Konoha. "Why did I have to come?" Shikamaru complained.

"Kakashi-Sensei said so!" Hinata shouted.

*Sniff Sniff*

"C'mon! Move faster! There are 9 Shinobi following us!"

"Already?!" Shikamaru whined.

"Shouldn't we ambush them?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, that would work." Sana said.

"NO! Shikamaru shouted. "We only ambush people if two conditions are met. If we could pinpoint their location, and hide quick enough. And even then, they're probably Chunin and above," He looked to Pakkun for confirmation. "And we're made up of, a strong but stupid ninja" Naruto growled. "A close range Hyuuga, A barely trained ninja" Sana winced. "A dog, and a slacker. We won't be able to defeat them...without using a decoy."

"Hmm?"

"If one person stays behind, and can pretend to be the entire squad, we can shake them, and finish this mission...but the person who stays behind...they'll probably die."

"...!"

"So who's going to do it?"

"..."

"We need the dog to track Sasuke, so...and volunteers?"

"..."

"..."

"...Alright...I'll do i-"

"I'm the only choice." Shikamaru interrupted.

"Why?" Shikamaru stopped.

"You need Naruto to even have a chance in defeating that Gaara kid, and I'm the only one smart enough to pull this off without dying."

"..."

"I'll be fine."

"You know that's not true…" Naruto said.

"I'll catch up. Besides, this is what the Shadow Possession Jutsu was made for" He turned left, before jumping away.

"C'mon!" Pakkun shouted, following Sasuke's scent again.

Shikamaru stopped. He knew they'd follow the snapped twigs and footprints. Sure enough, eight shadows connected to his own.

"Hah...If the bait is obvious, don't take it." ' _The dog said there were nine of them…'_ He gripped a kunai between each of his knuckles. "Let's test it."

He threw them with perfect accuracy, each one poised to pierce them in the heart.

*clank*

His kunai landed at their feet. ' _Knew it. One of them stays behind to protect the rest.'_ He felt a pang in his chakra network, and his shadow disconnected from theirs. ' _Fuck'_

"It's no use kid. We know all about that Jutsu."

"Welp...this is the end of my rope." ' _I just wanted a normal life...with a mediocre wife and kids. I just wanted to die old...and I've wound myself up in this troublesome situation.'_ *Sigh*

"Come out… _ **and take this kids head while you're at it.**_ " Something landed behind him. Shikamaru flinched.

"Good job Shikamaru."

"A-Asuma-Sensei?"

* * *

"Ke...Let's just fix them. He inserted a kunai into the back of their heads, and the light in their eyes died. The ash and dust that made the look dead disappeared, and they stood, cold, killing machines. "Please Sensei...do make this enjoyable."

" _ **Katon: Karyu Endan!"**_ A massive wall of flames engulfed the battlefield.

" _ **Suiton: Suijinheki!"**_ The fire was engulfed by the water that emerged from the Nidaime. " _ **Suiton: Suiyudan!"**_ Water formed from the air, surrounding The Nidaime.

" _ **Doton: Doryuheki!"**_ Hiruzen spit up a volume of mud, which absorbed all the water The Nidaime had produced.

The Shodaime raised his hands. " _ **Mokuton: Jukaikotan!"**_ Wood cracked through the roof, quickly overtaking the wall and capturing The Sandaime in it's branches.

" _ **Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**_ A giant monkey clad in armour appeared by Hiruzen's hands.

"This is what it's come to… This should have been finished years ago!"

"It will be finished now."

"It's too late." The monkey turned into a giant metal staff, completely ripping the branches Hiruzen was confined in. The staff, extended past the two revived Hokage, directly towards Orochimaru.

Orochimaru tilted his head up, and a snake began to spit up a sword covered in saliva. Orochimaru gripped the hilt, and managed to block the staff. Pushing back, the staff flew back towards Hiruzen, leaving him crippled on the ground. The forest around them grew, almost strangling Hiruzen. ' _I have to seal them away.'_

"I'm sorry Minato."

"My, my…" Orochimaru shook his head. "Your age has caught you…" He gripped his face. "It's too bad…" Ripping the flesh away, a young woman appeared.

"N-no."

"I did."

"Y...your inhuman."

"Ke ke ke...you don't have the guts to call me a monster. I've mastered Furofushi no Jutsu!" he laughed.

"You'll destroy the balance of life and death!"

"You think I care?!"

' _I must protect Konoha from him...he is no longer my student.'_

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_

"You must be desperate, if you are to shorten your own life span!"

' _Snake'_

' _Boar'_

' _Sheep'_

' _Rabbit'_

' _Dog'_

' _Rat'_

' _Bird'_

' _Horse'_

' _Snake'_

A mass of smoke appeared behind the three Hiruzen's.

' _So this is the Reaper…'_

* * *

"This is insane!" A ninja shouted, as he attempted to fight a massive snake.

" _ **Kuchiyose: Yataikuzushi no Jutsu!"**_ A massive frog appeared over the snake, completely crushing it.

"Alright ladies! The Toad Sage is here!"

"Lord Jiraiya!"

"Where's the old man?"

"Fighting Orochimaru!"

' _You better not…'_

* * *

"It doesn't matter what you do! It's too late!"

"Konoha will never fall!"

" _ **Kokuangyo no Jutsu!"**_

"Konoha is not loyal to me…" He spoke into the darkness. "Konoha is loyal to itself! If I die, a ne Hokage will take my place, and Konoha will continue to prosper!" He was blown backwards by an attack he couldn't see. "Every person in Konoha, Shinobi or Civilian, Young or old, Student or Teacher, is a family. You cannot destroy Konoha's roots!"

"I can, and I will!" Orochimaru shouted through the darkness.

"Orochimaru! It is time to face your coming. I made a mistake years ago, and I will not repeat it. I reveal my trump card, a Jutsu you don't know!"

"One that I don't know?" Orochimaru asked, genuinely curious.

" _ **Fuinjutsu: Shikufujin!"**_

The Reaper reached into his body, grabbing his soul by the hand. Hiruzen arched his back, flinching from the pain. This would be his last technique.

His Shadow Clones raced forwards, sniffing their way through the darkness.

"There!" They each grabbed something, and refused to let go. " _ **I summon Thee!"**_ The Reaper reached through the clones, grabbing at the soul of the two Kage. The darkness vanished.

' _What is this?! The darkness just disappeared!'_

"I'm sorry Hiruzen…" The Nidaime said.

"Yeah...Sorry about that…"

"No...forgive me. _**Seal!"**_ They're bodies collapsed into ash as their souls were ripped out. The faces of Zaku and Kin appeared in the ash.

"Using your own subordinates as sacrifices. You _are_ a monster."

*Fwoom*

"Stop talking!"

"Come! Enma!" The staff appeared in his arms. He summoned the last vestiges of his strength, he launched himself at Orochimaru. He spun the staff, knocking the sword out of Orochimaru's grasp. Snakes slithered up Orochimaru's arm, intent on injecting a lethal poison into him. However, Hiruzen had another idea. He grabbed Orochimaru's arm, pulling him close.

"This ends here!"

Orochimaru could barely move. Something was grabbing him, but he couldn't tell what. "What are you doing?!"

"This...this Jutsu was the one used to seal the Kyuubi...and I will seal you too." Something flashed in front of Orochimaru's eyes. "Now you see...I will seal you into the belly of the Reaper, where we will fight for eternity!"

"NO!" Orochimaru struggled to move. He could see it. His soul was being ripped out by the Shinigami. His sword quivered. "DIE!" he brought two fingers up, and his sword stabbed Hiruzen in the back, puncturing all the way through.

* * *

"Finally caught you." Sasuke said. Temari and Kankuro turned. Gaara's right side had broken out. He was covered in purple markings, and his forehead bulged.

"Go ahead Temari. I got this." Kankuro stepped forward. Temari nodded, and dragged Gaara with her, continuing their retreat towards Suna.

"No. You will fight me." Shino stepped out from the shadows. "You were supposed to be my fight anyways." Sasuke nodded to Shino before flying off again.

* * *

"Sasuke's stopped!" Pakkun said. Hinata, Sana, and Naruto grinned. Shikamaru had obviously succeeded in stopping their pursuers, and now they'd finally catch Sasuke. They heard a low growl ahead of them. Emerging into a small clearing, they saw that Sasuke was on the ground in front of Temari and Gaara, who was almost totally disfigured.

" **AAUGH!"** Gaara shouted, clutching his face. Temari disappeared, obviously scared of whatever was happening. Sasuke settled down into his own stance.

Gaara's forehead and right arm turned into the sand creature that had appeared in the arena. He began to laugh.

" **I'll kill you! I'm going to feel so alive!"** Sasuke flinched. Itachi had said that before. " **BE AFRAID!"** He launched himself at Sasuke, who jumped upwards just in time. Gaara left a smoking hole in the ground.

"A-Are you sure?" Naruto asked, starling Hinata and Sana. "Wow…" Naruto teared up "The same as me…"

"What?"

"He's a Jinchuuriki." Naruto stated.

"What's that?"

" _ **Chidori!"**_ Sasuke shouted, ripping Gaara's arm in half. He landed on the opposite side of the clearing.

" **HAHAHAH! Now I understand why I'm so happy!"** Gaara laughed. " **If I kill someone strong enough to hurt me, I'll feel more alive than ever!"** His back bulged outwards, as a tail began to form. He launched himself at Sasuke, who barely had time to dodge, even with The Sharingan.

"What the hell!" Sasuke shouted. ' _I can't use the Chidori anymore, but that sand won't break to anything else. But I have to be stronger…'_

" **DIE!"**

" _ **Chidori!"**_ They launched themselves at eachother again. " **HA...HA!"** Sasuke panted. He was covered in the curse mark. " **You can't beat me! I have Orochimaru's power with me!"**

"Wha?" Naruto asked. "Sasuke's never like that.

" **You should fear me! I can kill you!"** Sasuke laughed.

"That's not Sasuke…" Hinata said. "The seal is taking over…"

"Wha-" Sasuke grabbed his shoulder, collapsing onto the ground.

" **Ugh!"** The seal slowly retreated, but refused to leave. " **What's happening?"**

Gaara sprinted over to Sasuke, raising his clawed demon arm above his head, about to crush Sasuke into oblivion.

Naruto left his perch, and kicked Gaara right in the temple, knocking the consumed Jinchuuriki backwards. " **Leave Naruto! This is my fight!"** Sasuke growled from the ground.

"You're not Sasuke…" Naruto looked down at him. They're was that gleam in his eye, that one that Orochimaru had.

" **Yes I am! I am the Avenger!"**

" **You...you are the blonde one. Mother said you would taste good!"**

"Gu...guys! Let's go!" Naruto picked up the struggling Sasuke, and attempted to run, but Gaara launched one of his arms at them.

"NARUTO!" Hinata jumped in between the attack, knocking Sasuke and Naruto out of the way. The arm pinned her atop one of the trees, and she fell unconscious.

Sana ran forward, her sword drawn, slashing at Gaara, who caught the blade with his sand. " **LEAVE US!"** He batted her aside, throwing her hundreds of feet into the air. Naruto was alone.

" **Let me go!"** Sasuke shouted. He attempted to wriggle out of Naruto's grip, but his inability to move hindered his progress. The seal finally contained itself, and Sasuke stopped struggling. "Ugh…" He fell asleep.

Naruto felt that feeling in his stomach. A feeling he hadn't felt since the first Kyuubi incident. A feeling of desperation. Ever since then, people had been too scared to try anything with him. But now, he had to defend an unconscious Sasuke, Hinata, and Sana.

" **Why don't you run?!"**

"Cause they're my friends! I won't leave them!" Naruto cried.

" **I know what's within you! You are just like me! We need no "friends"! We live to kill!"**

"If you touch them, I'll kill you!" Naruto shouted indignantly, but he was shaking. This guy was insane.

" **Ugh…"** Gaara's body continued to transform. From the trees above them, Temari watched the fight.

' _What does he mean "You're just like me"?'_

" **I thought you said that you we're going to kill me!"** Gaara laughed. " **Don't you hate them?!"**

' _I did...I did hate them…_

 _FLASHBACK START_

" _Get out! Demon!"_

" _Look at him. He's a monster."_

" _You deserve to die!"_

" _Why?!" Naruto yelled. "What did I do?!" He was only 4 years old, and this pain was all he knew. Everybody hated him. He was surrounded. He was alone._

 _One of the people laughed at him. "You know what you did!"_

" _No I-" NAruto was cut off when a bottle shattered against the side of his head. Blood fell down the side of his face. "I don't get it!" He screamed at them. They're faces grew dark as they laughed at his pain. They were the monsters._

 _FLASHBACK END_

' _I did hate them...but now I have my friends. Jiji...Iruka-Sensei...Hina-chan, and Sasuke. So I'm not alone! But…'_ Naruto looked at Gaara, who was still laughing. ' _He still is. He's still alone...I got used to the looks, the hate, cuz I had my friends...and maybe...maybe I would've been like this if I hadn't met them. A demon.'_

" **If you don't kill me, your friend there will die!"** He said, pointing at Hinata. " **I'll play with you...just until you wish to die."**

"C'mon Naruto...you can do it…" Sasuke had woken up. "You're...you're stronger than me." Naruto looked at him in disbelief. "When you have something to protect...that's when you can be strong…"

' _He's right! My friends need me!'_ Naruto began to concentrate. The wind swirled around him, as a fiery chakra appeared around him. ' _And I can do it without becoming a demon!'_ "AHHHH!"

' _Whoa! That's an unbelievable amount of chakra!'_

" _ **Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_ 2000 shadow clones appeared, all of them crowding the tree tops. "Get ready! Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze is gonna kick your ass!"

All the clones charged at Gaara from their positions, who was stunned at the amount of clones around, and by the look they held in their eyes. That determination.

Gaara was clobbered from all sides, as the clones cut down on his sand. He flopped around the forest, completely at the mercy of Naruto. "How do you like me now?" Naruto smirked. Gaara fell to the forest floor.

" **No! I-I REFUSE TO LOSE TO THE LIKES OF YOU!"** Gaara expanded, blowing himself to the size of a the Hokage tower. Now he was a giant Tanuki made of sand, with one long tail behind him. " **DIE! NOW!"**

Naruto was unperturbed. " _ **Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**_ Naruto went up in smoke. Gamabunta appeared with his pipe in his mouth.

" **What you summon me here for?"**

"I need your help!" Naruto said, pointing at the Tanuki. "I have to beat him!"

" **Hmm...no."**

"EH?!"

" **I'm not willing to fight a tailed beast...and you still aren't my henchman! We haven't even drunk Sake together!"**

"I'm a kid! I can't drink!" Naruto blanched. "I need this! Please! I can't do it alone!" He pleaded.

" **...fine. I'll do it."** He said pulling out his sword. " **But it won't be easy…"**

"YES!" Gamabunta hopped forward, slashing his sword into the Shobi. However, it got stuck inside, and it took all of Gamabunta's strength to pull it free.

" **...In honor of giving me a good fight, I'll show you the true power of the Tailed Beast…"** Gaara said.

" **The poor boy has insomnia...he and Shukaku don't get along."**

"Huh?"

" _ **Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu!"**_ Gaara slumped over, hanging by the waist.

" **WOO! Straight out the gate, and my prey's already here!"** Shukaku laughed. " **I'm free!"**

" **We need to wake him up! It's the only way to stop him!"**

"How?!"

" **We n-"**

" _ **Futon: Renkudan!"**_ Bullets emerged from the Shobi's mouth, nailing Gamabunta in the shoulder. " **WEEE! HE'S DEAD!"**

" **Ouch!"** Gamabunta winced. " **You need to knock him awake! Henge me into something with teeth and claws! I'll grab him!"**

"Okay!" ' _Something with teeth…'_

" **NOW!"** Gamabunta commanded.

"Whoa, wait! What the F-!" Gamabunta went into smoke as the henge took hold. When he emerged, he was an orange fox with 9 flowing tails.

" **Got'im!"** Gamabunta grunted. Naruto launched himself off the fox's back, directly at Gaara's sleeping body!

"WAKE YOUR ASS! UP!" Naruto hooked him in the jaw. Gaara's eyes snapped open in surprise.

" **NO! I just got out!"** Shukaku whined before going up in smoke.

" **Bye kid!"** Gamabunta disappeared too. Now, all that was left was Gaara and Naruto.

"What did you do?!" Gaara screamed. "Where's mother?!"

"SHUT UP!" Naruto flew towards Gaara, who raced to meet him. "That's not your mom! Just listen for once!" Naruto punched him in the face. "You've been driving people away! You have siblings! And if you didn't kill everyone who got too close, maybe you wouldn't be so alone!" Naruto kicked him in the stomach. "So just let people close!" He commanded. "...I know what it's like...I was hated too. But now I have my friends with me. If I didn't...well...I would have ended up like you!"

"STOP! I REFUSE! I WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST!" Gaara launched one last punch at Naruto, who just batted Gaara to the floor. Gaara collapsed on his feet. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"...Yes I do...I understand it so much that it hurts. It's not trivial...but now I have friends! Friends I refuse to let die! And if I have to, I will kill you." Naruto's eyes flashed for a moment.

"No...no...WHY SHOULD I CARE?! WHY SHOULD I CARE FOR OTHERS?!"

"Because they can save you. Just like they saved me...I love them! AND THEY LOVE ME!" Naruto shouted.

' _That's it...that's what makes him so strong…'_

"That's enough Naruto." Sasuke said, putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder in a placating manner. "Hinata and Sana are okay. They were each over his shoulder.

"...good…" *Huf huf* "...good…" Kankuro and Temari landed between them and Gaara.

"Stop…" Gaara commanded. "It's alright...I quit." They looked at him in shock, before looking back at Naruto and Sasuke.

"Go...before the ANBU catch you." Naruto said.

"...Thanks…" Temari said. She slung her brother over her shoulder, while Kankuro did the same. They ran away

"Let's go back…" Naruto said. He took Hinata off Sasuke's shoulders, and they went back home. It began to rain, heavily. It poured onto their backs as they walked home.

* * *

"I told you Sensei...You will be the one dying here!" Orochimaru laughed. His soul was no longer outside his body.

"...I can't kill you...but there is one thing...I will take away your arms, so you will no longer be able to use Jutsu again!" The Reaper raised his sword.

"NO!" The Reaper slashed down, severing Orochimaru's connection to his arms. They flopped down uselessly. "GIVE THEM BACK!"

" _ **SEAL!"**_

"Ugh…" ' _My arms…'_

"...I'm sorry I couldn't take you with me...but **Operation: Destroy Konoha** is over…" The Reaper slurped up the soul arms, and Orochimaru's arms began to burn. It was an excruciating pain. "I'll see you again one day…" The Sandaime started.

*BOOM* The barrier around them came crashing down. The roof began to crack, and the KI on Orochimaru reached astronomical levels. Naruto came crashing down at him, completely enraged.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" Naruto commanded. Orochimaru grunted. His arms were useless now, and the Jinchuuriki was about to explode on him.

"Let's go!" He commanded.

"Yes Lord Orochimaru!" They vaulted away from the village in escape. Some Jonin attempted to go after him, but they were stopped by the four handed one.

Naruto was tempted to go after him and kill him for what he did, but now wasn't the time. He turned to Jiji, who was barely clinging to life. The Reaper was slowly swallowing his soul, even if no one could see it.

"Jiji…" He whispered, falling to his knees.

"Naruto...listen…"

"You promised!" Naruto cried. "You promised to be there when I became Hokage!"

*Cough*

"I'm sorry…"

"Jiji!"

"I will see you again...you have others…"

"But you were the first!" Jiji smiled.

"I-I *cough* I'm so sorry...but…"

"What?" Naruto cried.

"Where tree leaves dance...One shall find flames…"

"Huh?"

"The fire's shadow shall illuminate the village...And once again, tree leaves shall bud anew."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto cried.

"And you...you are the brightest flame Naruto…"

"Jiji…" The Reaper had finished the job. "Jiji!" Naruto shook him. "JIJI!"

Sasuke approached from behind. "He's gone." Naruto's cries reverberated throughout the village. Louder than the fall of the rain.

* * *

 **That took a lot to write...Hopefully you've enjoyed this...**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm BACK!**

 **Sorry guys...I know it's been like 3 months since I last posted. I didn't mean for it to take this long, but it did. I had a hard time figuring out the language I wanted to use in this chapter, but even then, it shouldn't have taken this long. But! Chapter 8 is finally here. We're getting close to the end of the intro, and once the 2 and a half year time skip happens, the NaruHina will finally be there. I'm just waiting for them to both be 16 for when we start getting more...adult.** **Anyway, I'm back in the writing mood. So the next wait shouldn't be three months.**

* * *

Naruto's _POV_

It hadn't stopped raining for three days. In a way, it seemed like it was deserved. The world shouldn't look happy now that his Jiji was dead. No matter what anyone said, everyone had loved him. Konohamaru broke down during the ceremony, and Iruka had comforted him. Naruto wanted to be the one doing that for Konohamaru, but he could only watch from the sidelines. They hadn't let him get close.

Naruto had seen the pang on his friends faces when he'd been denied access. He'd let them go anyway. Naruto wanted to be alone right now. He wanted to mourn in peace, without the civilians and ninja getting in his way. He would mourn later, when it was over. When no one would be there, and he could talk to Jiji in peace.

He sat between Jiji and his father's head. That was two father figures he'd lost. Two people who should have stayed.

' _You shouldn't have become Hokage!'_ "You should have stayed put so that I could see you again…!"

" **Whining's not going to help, ya know."** The Kyuubi said.

"It makes me feel better...and what would you know? You've never been attached to anybody."

" **I was attached to somebody…"**

"Hm?"

Naruto didn't get a response. The Kyuubi cut off the contact between them. "He could at least explain himself…" Naruto muttered. The rain continued to pour around him. His normally spiky hair had drooped, lying flat on his head. His clothes stuck to his body, and his entire demeanor was gloomy.

"I wonder what it's like...being dead…" Naruto began to say. "Is it nice?"

"Naruto Namikaze!" Naruto looked behind him. Two ANBU had just landed. "The Council has called for you." The one in the wolf mask said.

"What for?" Naruto snapped, looking back over the village.

"We don't know. Come with us." She commanded.

"Not now."

"You've been summoned."

"You can tell all those geezers to wait awhile. I'm not coming." The ANBU shook their heads.

"You have been summoned, by the council. You will come." Naruto knew he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't need the council to have another reason to banish him. Reluctantly, Naruto stood up, and followed the ANBU into the village.

They slowly made their way through the empty streets, towards the tower. There was still wreckage from the invasion. Missing buildings and smoking houses. Some of the invaders had been captured, and were being interrogated, while others had escaped or been killed in the invasion.

They finally stopped at the base of the tower. Naruto entered alone, while the ANBU went off to guard against bandits seeing an opportunity in the weakened Konoha. Naruto walked up the abandoned stairway. Every person had gone to the funeral. Apparently, the council didn't hold the same love for Jiji that the rest of the village had. Probably because they couldn't get away with some things. Like their ability to change laws.

"We want him gone!" ...or his banishment. Naruto slid the door open. The council room was filled with shouting and squabbling. Jiraiya was standing by the desk, looking like he'd like to be anywhere else right now. Probably the baths.

"You called." Naruto said tiredly. They stopped talking, looking at him in the doorway.

"You're late!" Haruno screamed at him.

"A ninja is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." That was a quote Kakashi had used once. **(A.N. Haha! Reference…)**

"Don't talk back!" Naruto ignored her, walking over to Jiraiya. He gave a pained smile to Naruto, who just grunted back.

"You keep doing that and you'll end up like that emo friend of yours." Naruto did smile this time, but it was still small.

"What's this about?" He asked, turning to the council. He ignored most of their glares, catching Hiashi's eyes instead. Hiashi didn't show any outward emotion, but Naruto did notice the warmness in his eyes, something he didn't think the Hyuuga were capable of, with the obvious exception of Hinata. He nodded subtly to Naruto, before turning his attention back to the council.

"Jiraiya has called for you. For what, I don't know." Said some civilian. Naruto looked at Jiraiya.

"You know damn well why I called him here!" Jiraiya yelled, slamming his hand on the desk. "You're trying to banish him without giving him a right to defend himself! You are already taking advantage of my Sensei's death, and on the day of his funeral!"

"What kind of demon has the right to defend itself?" Jiraiya growled at the civilian.

"We still follow the laws. Naruto is a citizen of Konoha, and the laws apply to him too."

"What's the reason anyway?" Naruto asked. He wasn't feeling it today. Today was the worst day for this.

"You released the Kyuubi! That's treason on the highest level!"

"I did not. And even if i did, nobody was hurt." Naruto stated bluntly.

"It doesn't matter. It is your job as the Jinchuuriki to protect your village from the beast! You are it's jailer!"

"SO _NOW_ I'M HIS JAILER?!" Naruto screamed. He couldn't believe it. "ALL THESE YEARS OF TORTURE, AND _NOW_ YOU FINALLY BELIEVE ME?! THIS IS BULLSHIT! I PUT UP WITH SO MUCH, ALL BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS THE DEMON, AND NOW YOU CALL ME THE JAILER JUST SO YOU CAN BANISH ME!" Naruto had half the mind to just stab the guy!

"Ehh...kid. You might wanna calm down." Jiraiya stated. Kyuubi chakra was leaking out already.

"NO! I WON'T CALM DOWN! THIS IS ALL I EVER HAVE GOTTEN FROM THIS VILLAGE! TWISTING THE WORDS FO **R** **YOUR OWN BENEFIT!"** Naruto's throat began to burn, so he dialed it back a bit. " **I won't calm down!"**

"...The Kyuubi was spotted on the outskirts of the village near the end of the invasion. We would like to hear what led to these events." Inoichi said. "Would you share?"

Naruto tried to keep the edge out of his voice when he responded. "That kid, Gaara." he began. "He was their weapon...he's a Jinchuuriki too. Sasuke was chasing after him, and Kakashi-Sensei sent Me, Sana, Shikamaru, and Hinata to stop him...Shikamaru left to stop some invaders from following us, and when we got their, Sasuke was fighting Gaara."

"So the Uchiha was the one who defeated him." He heard from their whispers.

"No actually. The curse mark started acting up, and Sasuke couldn't move anymore. I was the one who beat him."

…

"Basically, he let out the Ichibi, and I summoned Gamabunta to stop him…"

"So when did the Kyuubi appear?"

"It was Gamabunta. We were using a henge so that we could grab the Ichibi and seal him back again."

"Jiraiya-sama, you gave the scroll to Naruto?"

"Yup, he's the next Toad Sage."

The Council whispered among themselves, glancing at Naruto every once in a while. Naruto couldn't care less. He leaned against a neary wall, waiting them out. He'd just wanted a normal day...well, as normal as today could be.

"Let us vote. We are a council, and we decide things democratically!" Inoichi declared. "All in favour of the banishment of Naruto?" The civilians raised their hands. "All in favour of Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze being released of all charges?" The Shinobi raised their hands. "It's an even split then. Let us move on."

"No! I refuse to allow the banishment of the demon to hang in limbo. This is ludicrous, thi-ack…" The man fell dead to the floor. Naruto stepped away.

"Jiji's law is still in effect." Naruto backed himself against the wall again.

"Well...it seems the tie has been broken." Hiashi stated, amused.

"Huh?"

"You have lost one of your members, and therefore the Shinobi council outnumbers you. Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze has been released of all charges." The civilian council grumbled. By law, they couldn't argue against that. They planned to change that in due time.

"We need a new Hokage." Naruto looked over. That Danzo guy spoke. He gripped his cane. "There is a power vacuum now, and it must be plugged. Any suggestions?"

"I nominate Hyuuga Hiashi!"

"I refuse. My time is already occupied with Hyuuga affairs."

"I nominate Danzo-sama!"

"I second the nomination!"

"If I can butt in," Shikaku said. "Danzo is pretty old right now. Wouldn't it be better to nominate someone a little younger, and connected to the previous Hokage?"

"If so, I nominate Jiraiya!"

"Whoa, whoa! I have networks to manage! And books to write! I can't do that." Jiraiya waved his hand in front of his nose.

"You are best fit for this position. You were trained by a Hokage, and you trained a Hokage. It is fitting."

"It's not my thing. I'll end up driving this village into the ground." Naruto watched the exchange. He didn't think Ero-Sennin would be that bad...granted, all female ninja would be forced to wear mini-skirts, and there would be viewing booths to the women's bathing area.

' _Hinata would look good in a mini-skirt though…Shut it!'_ Naruto slapped himself, which didn't seem to draw anybody's attention.

"Then who else?"

"What about...Tsunade."

"She hasn't been in the village since the war. She goes missing very often. You however, are in the village currently, and easily trackable."

"So what? She was trained by Sensei too, she's also the granddaughter of The Shodaime, and this village could use a little diversity…anyway, she would probably be better." He muttered.

"She hates it here. She will never accept the offer."

"I'll go look for her. I've been here too long anyway. I'll bring you the Godaime Hokage, but only on one condition." He held up his finger.

"What's that?" Shikaku asked. Jiraiya pointed his finger at Naruto.

"I'm taking Naruto with me. I promised to train him, and I had a good idea for a technique for him."

"No-Take Sasu-"

"I see no problem with your demand. I say we vote." Hiashi said. "All in favour of granting Jiraiya's request." The Shinobi again raised their hands. "It seems that we have a majority." His eyes glinted. "When will you be leaving?"

"I think tomorrow. Some of my connections said they had seen her around a village to the north. We'll start there."

"I hope that you find her within the next two weeks or so."

"Don't worry, we'll have a Hokage here soon." Jiraiya got up to leave.

"Then this meeting is complete. We are dismissed." Naruto followed after Jiraiya, jumping out the window after him.

"What are you gonna teach me?!" Naruto asked, face shining. No matter how sad Naruto was, the prospect of learning some cool Jutsu could excite him.

Jiraiya chuckled. "I wanna make sure you connect with the Rasengan more consistently, so I wanted to try something." He looked up. People were moving through the village again. His face darkened. "Hey...If you want to pay respects, now would be the time. Before the burial." Naruto stopped smiling. He glanced down at his feet, looking back at Jiraiya for just a second.

"Thanks." He turned away, making his way through the crowds. Jiraiya watched his hair weave through the crowd, hanging low over Naruto's eyes.

"..."

* * *

"..."

"Naruto looked at the picture of Jiji they had placed over the coffin. He didn't like it. It didn't do justice to Jiji. It was just that, a picture. It didn't show the life that Jiji had possessed. One that had been snuffed out by Orochimaru.

 _FLASHBACK START_

" _What are you doing here Naruto?" Jiji asked him. Naruto lay panting at his feet._

" _I was fighting with Sasuke today...and he beat me! He just has to wait! I'll beat him next time!"_

" _That wasn't an answer."_

" _Sorry Jiji." Naruto stood up. "I was training!" I wanna learn how to roof hop, so I started jumping through the trees...but I missed one, and I fell into the river. But look what I got!" Naruto reached into a nearby bush, pulling out a fish almost as large as Naruto himself. "It's so big! And tasty looking!"_

 _The Hokage sighed. "Naruto, that is an extremely poisonous fish. It may be tasty, but you'll be bedridden for weeks." Naruto's face fell. "But if you want fish, I guess we'll have to get some!" He walked to the river with Naruto in tow. "Watch." He bent down towards the water. He watched for a moment, before his hand lit up, and he plunged it into the water. When he pulled back, a sizable fish was stuck on his hand._

" _Wha-Bu-How'd you do that?!" Naruto asked._

" _It's a chakra scalpel. You focus your chakra into a blade like shape on your hand, and you can stab almost anything." Jiji smiled. "Why don't you try." Naruto looked at the river for a moment. He held his hand up to his face, his eyes trained on his hand. He made the same handshape Jiji had, and concentrated all his willpower into manipulating his chakra. He had only recently been taught how to manipulate it, but it never seemed to do what he wanted. It always either exploded on him, or didn't even respond at all. And he seemed to be the only one in his class who couldn't control his chakra. Even Sakura had done it, and all she did was stare at Sasuke!_

" _Hng!" Naruto grunted. His chakra wasn't responding. "Come on!"_

" _Calm down Naruto." Jiji placated him. "Chakra is the mixing of your strength and your mind. If your mind is too focused on controlling the chakra, it's not making the chakra is it?" He smiled._

" _I guess?" Naruto didn't really get it, but Jiji had never done anything wrong to Naruto, which was a stick above almost everyone else._

" _Try again, and stay calm. Don't force it." Naruto held his hand up again, trying to breath as Jiji instructed him. "There you go."_

" _Wha-WHOA!" Chakra shot up Naruto's hand like fire. It was a nice blue, just like Naruto's eyes. There were specks of red, but Naruto ignored that._

" _Now try to sharpen it into a kunai blade." Jiji instructed._

" _O-okay!" Naruto looked back at the chakra flowing out his hand. 'Get Sharper.' It started to straighten at the edge. "Yeah! Keep going!" It started to resemble the edge of a sword. "Yes! That's good!" It didn't stop, and chakra was beginning to leak out of Naruto's hand, making the blade longer and heavier. "Stop! Stop!" His chakra kept growing. "Stop! Jiji! He-elp!" The extra weight dragged Naruto's hand, and by extension, Naruto, and dragged it into the lake. Naruto came up spluttering, wheezing for air._

" _Look at that. You caught some."_

" _Huh?" Naruto looked at his hand. There were 3 fish all stuck on the blade, each one roughly the size that Jiji's had been. "I did it! I caught some!" The chakra dissipated. Naruto grabbed the fish, and carried them back to his little training grounds. Jiji slowly followed behind him. On the way, he thought he saw something blue disappear behind a bush. JIji just chuckled. He also thought that the bush had peeped, but bushes didn't peep, so Naruto elected to forget about it._

" _This is quite the setup Naruto." JIji said. They sat at a small campfire in a clearing. Roughly 20 feet away, a makeshift target was stuck to a tree, a kunai lodged in the 3rd ring. "Is this where you disappear to when you should be at the academy?" Naruto just grinned._

" _Look what I can do!" Naruto grabbed a kunai from his back pocket, and quickly grabbed a rock. He put some grass into the campfire pit, before repeatedly striking the rock with the kunai. Quickly, a spark hit the grass, and began to heat up. Naruto kneeled down, softly blowing on the ember, until it had consumed most of the grass. Naruto carefully lay some sticks he'd stacked nearby, and soon, they had a true cooking fire._

" _Impressive." Naruto beamed at the compliment. "Now help me gut these fish." Naruto quickly grabbed one of his fish, and dutifully pierced it's abdomen. He carefully gut into the fish, removing the parts that he didn't want to eat. He threw them into the woods, knowing that some animal would probably come by to eat it._

 _Naruto and The Hokage used their kunai to create skillets, and placed the fish over the fire._

 _ **Timeskip: 1 hour**_

" _Would you look at that. The stars are out." The Hokage said. Naruto bit into his second fish, glancing up at the sky._

" _I like the stars. They're pretty."_

" _They are. They really are."_

" _Thanks for teaching me that chakra hand thingy!"_

" _It was my pleasure." Jiji smiled. The campfire had simmered down to glowing embers. "You took to it quickly. I'm proud."_

 _*Shuffle*_

" _Did you hear that?" Jiji asked._

" _Yeah." Naruto said, staring into the woods. His eyes searched through the canopy. "There's something in there, probably a fox."_

" _Oh really. How can you tell?"_

" _I can see something moving."_

" _I'm surprised you can see into such darkness." Naruto jumped up._

" _That's me! Konoha's Number One Surprising Academy Student!" The thing shot out of the woods. "Hey! I was right! It was a fox!" Naruto laughed. The fox slowly approached the fire._

" _You know, most of the time, animals avoid fire." Naruto started to stroke the fox over the head._

" _I know! But the animals like me!"_

" _That's nice."_

" _I wish more of them came forward though. I wish they weren't afraid of the fire." The Hokage stared up at the heavens. "Jiji?"_

" _All animals, including humans, Shinobi and Civilian alike, are afraid of what they do not know. They treat the fire poorly, and it burns them, and they fear even more."_

" _That's not good."_

" _It is a sad truth. An endless cycle of fear. It is only when the fire continues to shine light and warmth on the animals that they began to approach. That is when they learn. The fire has to give so much, until the animals cease to fear. This fox here, he does not fear. He sees the care the fire gives. He sees the life that fire brings."_

" _But doesn't fire burn down trees and fields?"_

" _True, however, it is only to make space for the beauty of the next season. The fire is essential. This fox has learned and accepted this. He does fear anymore, so he is not burned anymore. And perhaps the bunny will approach soon as well." Jiji smiled at the bush. "But perhaps the bunny should go home now. It is dark, and the bunny's father is surely worried." He heard the quick patter of feet._

" _Wha?"_

" _Soon, the bunny will approach, and then, the dog and the snake, toad, slug and so on, until no animals fear the fire, and the fire is free to bring light to the darkness. Then, the fire and the animals will be at peace._

" _...I like the animals more than the people...the animals don't hate like that…"_

" _..."_

" _I wish I was an animal, so I didn't have to deal with them."_

" _But if you were an animal, would you be able to talk to me? Would you be able to learn like humans do? Would be able to love?"_

" _...I don't know…"_

" _In truth, I don't know either."_

" _...Jiji?"_

" _Yes Naruto?"_

" _What is love? You always say that you love the village, and that you should love thy neighbor. But what is love? What does it mean to love?"_

" _That is a complicated question Naruto."_

" _Could you stop using big words I don't know?"_

" _Of course. Complicated means hard to answer or understand. But I'm getting off track...There are three types of love. There is the love of ones family...the love of ones friends, and then the last one is very special…"_

" _But I don't have a family, or friends…"_

" _But you do. I can be your family. You do not have to be related to be family...listen Naruto. I love the village. Not the people, but the village. What the village represents, and what the goal of the village is...not the goal of the people. Yes the people are part of the village, but the village is not just made of it's people...it's made of the ideas the people have, the collective consciousness of the people. To love...is to have a deep desire to protect and care for something. To love ones family, is to want to protect them, to keep them together. The strong desire to do anything for them. To love ones friends is the same, but to a lesser extent. Though, sometimes friends and family are a blurred line. A good friend can become family to you if you deem it so." Naruto stared up at him. "That is one way to build your family. My love for the village is the familial kind. I must protect them, at all costs. All Hokage think like this. That is why The Yondaime sacrificed himself like that. He loved them too much…"_

" _What about the last one?"_

" _Ah, that...That is a special love. A love between two people. It is a combination of friend and family. That love is reserved for one, very, very special person. They are your best friend, and your closest family. It is the love of a married person. They are the ones who build family's of blood. They build new love. The love of parents."_

" _But I don't know my parents…"_

" _So? They still love you, no doubt of that."_

" _...Will I get a love like that?"_

" _Of course. Everyone can get a love like that...but some people force it, or they don't do the necessary work...To love like that requires much effort. Sometimes you feel so empty, so sad. It gets...confusing."_

" _It sounds confusing."_

" _Hah, yeah…"_

" _So I will get to love like that, right?"_

" _Yes...but, there will be people who tell you it's dangerous to love as a Shinobi. And to some extent, they are right. You don't know if you'll make it home to them sometimes. And you always fear that they won't be home to greet you. You fear that you failed to protect them. That you didn't deserve them, because they could have survived if you didn't know them." Jiji's eyes shone with tears. "But the people who say this are wrong. Life without love is meaningless. You will never truly be happy without love. They only live as shells of humans...to be a ninja in love, that is what makes you powerful. Because you must protect them. Protect your loved ones. That is why I protect the village."_

" _Is that...is that what the village stands for?"_

" _The way I choose to see it...Yes Naruto...that is why we hold teamwork above all else here. You grow to love your team, and they make you stronger. That is what I love. That idea of loving your friends and family. It's beautiful...something that must be protected from those who seek to destroy it."_

" _If...If that's what the village stands for, then I love the village too!" The fox in his arms jumped, hightailing it back into the woods. "Hey! Come back!"_

" _Let it go Naruto. Perhaps it has its own family to care for."_

" _..."_

 _The Hokage looked up at the sky. The moon shone just above their heads. "Of, look at that. It is getting late...come Naruto. It is time to go back."_

" _One more question?"_

" _Of course."_

" _What happens to a ninja who lost the people he loves?"_

" _Well...that is the strongest of them all. If he has lost his loved ones, he fights with no regard for anyone, not even himself...for what else does he have left to lose."_

 _FLASHBACK END_

"I love you, Jiji."

* * *

"You're leaving? For how long?" Hinata asked. They were standing outside the Hyuuga Manor, and Naruto felt pretty self conscious being watched by all the guards.

"I don't know. The pervy sage is taking me with him while we go find his teammate." Naruto said.

"But why?"

"...He wants to train me."

" _Now_ he wants to train you?"

"I know...but I need to get away from the village for a little bit. It'll be good for me. I'll see you when I get back."

"...A-alright...I'll see you when you come back." Naruto nodded and smiled, before gripping his backpack. HInata began to walk back towards the Hyuuga compound. Naruto watched her until the doors were shut behind her. He turned away, heading for the east gate.

"Ready?" Jiraiya asked when Naruto arrived. Naruto nodded in affirmation. Alright. We're heading to a village in the north. We should be there in about 2 hours if we walk. Maybe 20 minutes if we run.

"I don't feel like running today."

"Alright then. We'll walk." Jiraiya turned, and with Naruto following,they began to follow the road.

The trip itself was uneventful, but when they arrived, the village was bustling with activity. It was so alive, even Naruto started to get excited. "What's going on?"

"Looks like some kind of festival. You know what...I'll go around for information, and you can go and enjoy yourself for a while.

"Really! Thanks Ero-Sennin!" He reached into his pocket. "I've been saving up for a long time. Look how cute he is!" He said, holding up his frog wallet. "This is gonna be fun!" Naruto started to run off, but Jiraiya held him back by his collar.

"Hold up! Haven't you ever heard of the Three Shinobi Rules?"

"NO! NOW LET ME GO!" Naruto struggled against his grasp. "I just want to spend some of my money!"

"You're breaking one of them. Alcohol. Women. Money. Without moderation, you will never become a good Shinobi."

"Like you can talk…" Naruto muttered. That earned him a rough shake.

"Now then." Jiraiya took his frog wallet, and took out three bills.

"Only 3000 yen?!"

"See! You've already been consumed by your lust for money. This is all you get, _and_ I'm keeping your wallet. Now then. Shoo." He pushed Naruto away.

"HEY!" Naruto turned, trying to get his wallet back. Jiraiya had disappeared into the crowd. "Dammit." Naruto stuck the bills in his pocket. "Might as well enjoy myself." Naruto began to walk the busy street.

' _Damn...almost forgot what it feels like when I'm not surrounded by haters...I should leave the village more often.'_

"Hey kid! You look like you'd want some water!" One of the street vendors yelled.

' _I am kinda thirsty. We did walk for a while…'_

"No! He wants a Soda!"

"No! Water!"

"Soda!"

' _I think I'm gonna go…'_

* * *

"I only have 400 yen left...I have to get something small." Naruto looked up at the stands. He knew that Ero-Sennin had walked in this direction, so this was probably where he was. "Fried Squid!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'll take two!"

"Two fried squids, coming up!" The man called to his coworker. He looked back at Naruto, looking at the hiate on his forehead. "You get one on the house, for your dedication to Hi no Kuni."

"Thanks! You're really cool!" Naruto grinned. The man handed him his food. "Bye!" Naruto raced down the street, carefully holding his squid in hand.

"Hehe!" Naruto skid to a stop. He recognized that perverted laugh. Naruto entered into a more secluded area of the street. His head was filled with smoke, and Naruto began to feel a bit dizzy. "Hey kid!" Jiraiya called out drunkenly.

Naruto observed the scene. Jiraiya was surrounded by at least 4 women, all of whom should have been wearing more clothing. There were opened bottles of Sake on the table in front of him. He had a perverted grin on his face. Then, Naruto's eyes were drawn to his empty frog wallet.

"...remind me again what the Three Rules of Shinobi are?"

"Eh?"

"Cause you sure seem to have broken all of them! You emptied my wallet! And I know that you could have afforded all these things yourself!" Naruto pulled Jiraiya up by the collar, completely forgetting about the squid in hand. The squid flew backwards, hitting a pristine white trench coat. Naruto didn't notice, but the man wearing it sure did.

"Hey kid! That was a designer coat! Pay up!" Naruto looked at him with a bored expression.

"What'd it cost?"

"10,000 yen!"

"WHAT?! 10,000 yen for such a raggedy coat?!" To be fair, it wasn't raggedy, but this is Naruto we're talking about.

"Hey!" Another man entered the conversation. "My brother happens to have won the kickboxing championship a couple years ago! Pay up, or get beat!"

"If you haven't noticed, I'm a ninja!" He shook his hiate. "I doubt you could do anything to me!"

"You asked for it!" The man cocked his fist back, running at Naruto. Naruto sidestepped, forming a Rasengan in hand. He rushed at the man. He dodged, attempting to chop Naruto's neck, but Naruto twisted his body, and brought his free hand up to block. Holding the man in place, he planted the Rasengan into his chest. The man flew backwards, hitting a toy stand, which shattered under the pressure.

"Ooh...sorry."

"I'll pay for the damages...and I'll buy some balloons" Jiraiya handed the vendor a stack of bills, taking what he'd asked for. "Come on." Naruto followed after him. The only training Naruto could think of that needed balloons was the Rasengan, but Naruto had already mastered that.

"What kind of training am I doing?" He asked once they'd left the village. Jiraiya had gotten info that Tsunade was in a village to the east.

"Chakra control."

"That's it?!"

"Hey now! With better chakra control, you'd actually be able to stand a chance against some Jonin on your own. Take this." He threw Naruto a balloon. Naruto looked at him. "Make a Rasengan on the inside." Naruto spun a Rasengan inside the balloon, still pretty confused.

"Good good. Now the left hand."

"Huh?" Naruto switched hands. It took a little longer, since it wasn't his dominant hand, but he did it.

"Catch." Naruto looked up just in time to see a second balloon coming towards him. He reached up and caught it in his right hand.

"Now do it with both hands. At the same time." Naruto looked at the balloons. He started to form the Rasengans, but quickly realized that he was still using the same amount of power he used for one. When he tried to double it, he lost control, and the balloon burst in a cyclone of wind. Naruto's palms were burned from where he'd formed them.

"See. Until you can do both, you don't have sufficient chakra control. So keep at it!" Jiraiya turned to keep walking. Naruto sighed. He should've expected something like this. Ero-Sennin wasn't going to help him at all. Naruto blew up two balloons again, and held them in both hands. He followed behind Ero-Sennin, staring at his hands. He tried to do it slower this time, and then began to pour more chakra into both spheres. They didn't pop.

"YES!" As soon as Naruto stopped concentrating, they spun out of control and ripped away.

"Dammit!" Naruto blew them up again. He'd keep going until he could do it.

* * *

"So...Itachi Uchiha...I didn't think I'd see you again."

"Hello Kakashi...Sensei."

"I'm not your squad leader anymore."

"It is respectful to refer to ones superiors with the correct title, is it not?"

"Not from a traitor."

"Of course...how could I forget."

"Let's get this over with. We need to get the kid."

"Quiet Kisame…in due time."

"You're after Sasuke? Trying to finish what you started?"

"Actually, we are searching for the blonde one."

"...Naruto?"

"Yeah. The Jinchuuriki."

"Quiet Kisame."

"What do you want with him?"

"That is unimportant."

"He's part of my team. That makes it important to me."

"I see…"

"I'm guessing that Akatsuki sent you."

"How did you know?!"

"Well first, that...and we have our sources."

"Then I assume that we will not be leaving here peacefully."

"You are correct." Kakashi lifted his hiate. "Asuma! Kurenai! Whatever you do, don't look at him!"

* * *

"Alright kid! We're staying here for the night." They entered a rented room.

"Finally!" Naruto collapsed onto a futon. His hands were burnt, and he was tired.

"Eat this." Jiraiya threw a ration bar at Naruto. Naruto bit into the tasteless snack, feeling a bit more alive.

"G'night!" Naruto rolled over, ready to go to sleep.

"Oh No! We're still not done!" Jiraiya shouted, kicking Naruto in the stomach.

"What?!" Naruto hit the wall. "What's left?! I still haven't finished the Rasengan!"

"That's not the only way to get better chakra control." Jiraiya picked him up off the ground. "You're spending the night on the ceiling." With those words, he attached Naruto's futon to the ceiling.

"That's impossible!"

"No it's not. If you learn how to control your chakra in your sleep, imagine how good you'll be when your awake."

"But I'll won't get any sleep. As soon as I start sleeping, I'll fall!"

"Then you better learn fast." Jiraiya lay down on his futon. "You'll be a very powerful ninja if you can pull this off...only the Sage of Six Paths could do it…"

"You mean that guy who invented Ninjutsu?!"

"Yep!"

"...I'll try…" Naruto went up to the ceiling, carefully attaching his back to the ceiling. "Will you try with me?"

Jiraiya cracked an eye open. "Of course not! I'd never get any sleep!"

 _ **Timeskip: The Next Morning…**_

"Dammit kid! I didn't get to sleep at all!"

"Neither did I!"

"You didn't have to land on top of me everytime!"

"I wasn't paying attention…" Naruto yawned. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Yeah...Tsunade has got a lot a people looking for her. She's in a lot of debt...so most people are willing to give some info...but it'll still take awhile. She's always moving.

"She sounds like a gambler…"

"She is a gambler. She's lost so often that people have given her a nickname…"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep. The Legendary Loser." Naruto sweat dropped. "Now keep training." Jiraiya tossed Naruto the two water balloons.

"Again?!"

"Yep!" Jiraiya began to walk down the road.

' _This is stupid...he knows that I'll never get great chakra control. What's the point even trying this?'_

"There's always a purpose…"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

* * *

"I can't believe he left me here just to flirt with some woman...Damn Ero-Sennin!" Naruto flopped onto the Futon in his room. As soon as they'd arrived at the inn, Jiraiya had left with some woman who gave him the wiggly eyes, and Naruto had to take care of all the stuff. Thankfully, he had not taken his refilled Toad Wallet.

*Knock knock*

"Huh?" Naruto stood up, walking towards the door. "Was he already rejected?" Naruto reached for the doorknob, opening the door just a crack, like he'd been trained to. However, A hand reached in between, and forcefully pried the door open.

The man was dressed in black robes covered in blood red clouds. The collar extended all the way up to his eyes, which were a swirling red. The man stared down at him with an expression that Naruto could only call contempt.

"Y-You're an Uchiha...Sasuke's Brother?"

"He knows who you are? Are you that famous now?" Said the blue man standing behind him.

"Please, come with us." Itachi commanded.

Naruto jumped back into his room. "No way! I'm not going anywhere!"

"Come on brat. If you won't come, we'll take you." The blue man said.

"Please Kisame."

"Hey wait! I have some questions for you!" Naruto shouted, remembering that he had no idea why he'd wanted to find Itachi.

"You want to question us? Come on Itachi. Let me cut his legs off." Kisame, hefted a sword wrapped in bandages. Naruto paled.

"I...found you." A voice said. The trio turned, and they saw Sasuke standing at the end of the hallway. The look in his eyes was very familiar to Naruto. It was the same look he'd had when he was brooding. A hard glint. A determined gleam. Hatred. "He attacked Kakashi-sensei, and now he wants to take you too."

"WHAT?!"Naruto looked at him. "You'll pay for that!" Naruto began to charge some chakra.

"No! Naruto...this is my fight." Sasuke glowered. Itachi turned to him with a sneer.

"Let's see how you've grown."

"RAH!" Sasuke ran at Itachi, aiming a punch for his solar plexus. Itachi simply grabbed his arm, and flipped him to the side, kicking him back down the hall. Sasuke grabbed his rib. It felt broken. Sasuke went in again. He kicked Itachi in the knee, trying to gain leverage but Itachi simply locked Sasuke's trailing elbow, and Sasuke's arm shattered under the pressure. Kisame grinned.

"A little passionate are we?"

' _Sasuke's getting beat, I gotta help'_ Naruto gathered chakra for a Clone."

"Can't have that can we?" Kisame took his sword off his back. The bandages flexed, and Naruto felt his chakra disappear. "I thought we'd need your legs gone, but your arms will do.

" _ **Chidori!"**_ Sasuke dragged his arm through the wall, leaving a trail of broken wood behind him. Itachi looked on in pity. He grabbed Sasuke by the neck, pinning him to the wall. The Chidori faded away, as Sasuke struggled for air.

"You are weak. Still as weak as that day."

"H-how? H-how is the g-gap still this big?"

"You don't hate enough. You still don't understand what I did… _ **Tsukuyomi!"**_ Sasuke collapsed against the wall, a blank look in his eye.

"W-what did you do to him?!"

"The same I did to your Sensei."

"Y-Y-You're evil! I thought maybe you were misunderstood, but your just a dick!"

"Itachi, let me dismember him." Kisame stepped forward, the bandages shuffling.

" _ **Kuchiyose: Gamaguchi Shibari!"**_ The walls began to swell up, becoming spongy underneath Naruto's feet. He turned to where the voice had come from. Jiraiya had his hands on the floor, the woman from earlier draped across his back. "Using Genjutsu to distract me, and then go after my student...cunning." He glanced at Sasuke, who was still faint on the floor. "This is the stomach of the giant toad. I control everything here, no one ever escapes." The walls began to close in on the duo. They glanced at each other, before turning the corner behind them. Jiraiya picked Sasuke up, sticking him to the wall. A woosh of flame was heard, and when they went to investigate, all they saw was the open landscaped, and black flames.

"I thought you said no one ever escaped?"

"No one ever did…"

* * *

Why hello, Tsunade-san…"

"Orochimaru...What do you want?"

"As feisty as ever, Tsunade…

"I heard that you attacked Konoha, and killed Sensei! How else am I supposed to act?!"

"It was his time! All things end one day, you ought to know that by now?"

"I have a proposition for you…" Kabuto reached for the bandages covering Orochimaru's hands. As he unraveled them, Tsunade recoiled in fear. "Even after all these years...you are still scared." Orochimaru teased, even though a fine layer of sweat covered his face. He raised his arms into the air. His flesh, was a dark red, shriveled and burnt, however, they continually oozed blood from their pores. Orochimaru grinned. Nawaki and Dan were covered in blood...I guess that would trigger it.

"Stop it!" Shizune shouted. Tsunade had backed herself up against the wall, shaking, whimpering and paling in fear.

"Of course...I could bring them back, for a price. I've learned it. They would be back here in flesh and blood...as if they had never died!"

"Don't listen to him!" The pig snorted in agreement.

"Heal my arms...and I can bring them back. I'm already immortal! Death has no hold on me! I can take them back from the Shinigami...and they can come back to you…" Kabuto began to redress the bandages, allowing Tsunade a moment to calm down.

"Please, Tsunade-Sama! Don't listen. The Shinigami doesn't take kindly to people messing with his property…"

"I assume that the fact that we still stand means you will at least consider it."

"..."

"Tsunade-Sama!"

"Allow me one week to decide...please."

"Of course...we'll meet here once again. Come Kabuto."

"Wait!" Tsunade said. "If I heal you...what will you do?"

"I won't lie...I'll annihilate Konoha once and for all!" Orochimaru disappeared into the forest.

You can't even be considering this Tsunade-Sama, can you?!"

"..."

* * *

"C'mon Naruto! If we're fast, we might catch her. She was just here!"

"My hands are burnt! Give me a second!"

"Just pour some water on them, we don't have time!"

"Fine!" Naruto dunked them into the water. He grabbed his pack, following Jiraiya into the town. It was getting late, and they still hadn't stopped to eat.

Suddenly, Jiraiya cracked a grin. "Found her" He pointed at a big breasted blonde woman. She wasn't looking at them, but Naruto saw that her face was wrinkle free, and a purple diamond was painted on her forehead.

"I thought she was your old teammate...Shouldn't she be 50?"

"Yeah, but she uses Genjutsu to always look young…"

' _Faker…'_ They approached her from behind. Her companion, who happened to be holding a small pig, seemed to recognize Jiraiya.

"Hey Shizune." He greeted. Tsunade flinched, turning around with a blush. Probably from the massive bottle of Sake in her hand.

"Didn't think I'd see both of them in the same day…" She muttered. Jiraiya's face darkened.

"I knew he would…" Jiraiya said. "Don't do it. Orochimaru's not to be trusted."

" **Grr!"** Jiraiya flinched as he felt Naruto's demeanor darken. Apparently, Orochimaru was a trigger.

"Who's this kid?" Tsunade asked. He reminded her a bit of Minato.

"This's Naruto."

' _So he is their son, and that fox…'_ She looked him over. He was shaking. "Is he okay?"

"Uhh…? He's just mad about it." He began to leak. "The seal uh…"

" **I'm gonna kill him."** The pressure faded, and Naruto's normal face came back. "Haha...sorry?

"W-what?" Shizune asked. The pig whimpered in her hands.

"I told you kid. Stop getting so angry." JIraiya sighed. "Look, can we join you?" He gestured to the empty seats.

"Yeah, yeah…" They sat down nearby. A waiter placed the complimentary dish in front of them, which Naruto dug into immediately, but Jiraiya turned to them.

"What did he offer you?"

"Doesn't matter. I wanna know why you were looking for me."

"...I'm sure you heard the Sensei died, right?" Tsunade nodded. "Well...that means Konoha is without a Hokage...and they want you to replace him." Both Tsunade and Shizune looked at him, mouths hanging open.

"And I wanted to know if you could heal my friend. He injured himself during his fight, and they said he'd never be a ninja again, but you're the best healer ever. You could totally do it, right?!" Naruto somehow got through his mouth full of food.

That shocked Tsunade out of her stupor. "No. I'm not throwing away my life. The Kage's a fool's job. And it's your friends fault that he got himself hurt. He shouldn't throw his life away like that." Naruto stared at her.

"I'm sorry...What?"

"I said no."

"...What's wrong with you?! You're a healer, HEAL! And what's wrong with being Hokage?! That's a respectable job! Aren't you related to the Shodaime anyway?!"

"Sensei threw his life away, and my grandfather died without reaching his goal. Everyone who's taken the mantle has died before their time. It's a fool's job, and only a fool would take it up.

"YOU WANNA TAKE THIS OUTSIDE?!" Naruto shouted, pointing the chopsticks in her face. She shoved them aside.

"Fine."

"Are you sure, Tsunade-Sama?" Shizune asked softly.

"I gotta teach this kid a lesson."

"I'll show you!" Jiraiya sighed. Naruto didn't know how much this was gonna hurt.

"So how is this gonna go?" She asked once they were in the alleyway outside.

"If I win, you come with us!" Naruto declared.

"And if I win?"

"Won't happen." Naruto lowered himself towards the ground. "Ready?"

"Yeah yeah. And to make it easy, I'll only use one finger." She grinned.

"Don't underestimate me!" Naruto rushed at her, shocking her slightly with his speed. He was definitely faster than the average Genin, but not fast enough. She blocked his punch, and wrapped her finger around the arm that had attacked her. She threw him to the ground, and was understandably surprised when he disappeared into smoke. Naruto came at her from behind, trying to at least hit her, but she always seemed to know what he was about to do.

"This is pointless kid."

"Not true! I beat Gaara, and he was way scarier than some Old lady who hides her age!" Jiraiya sweat dropped. Naruto never knew when to keep his mouth shut.

"Brat!" Tsunade flicked him so hard, that Naruto broke the cement when he slid back. There was a definite path from him to Tsunade.

' _She's just as strong as ever…'_ Naruto picked himself out of the ground. His body protested. It did not like being knocked into the ground like that. His hiate landed at his feet, being knocked off in the blow.

' _Okay, she's really strong, like really really strong. I can't hit her with Taijutsu, even when I'm using clones…'_

"Hey brat." Tsunade said. "Why does the Hokage's position matter so much to you?"

"Why?" Naruto grinned. "Cause I want to be Hokage one day!" Tsunade froze, staring at his face. Shizune and Jiraiya understood why.

Chakra began to swirl in his hand, condensing into a ball. Naruto rushed forward. "RASENGAN!"

"Did you teach him that Jiraiya?" Tsunade jumped out the way of Naruto's charge. "This is why he has delusions."

"They're not DELUSIONS! I WILL!" Naruto turned around. His Rasengan began to shake, and release some of the chakra contained within as another one formed in his other hand. He charged again. Tsunade jumped once again, but Naruto brought the other one around to hit her, she flicked his stomach and he gasped for air, the two Rasengans dissipating. "You're pretty good kid, but you still haven't won."

Naruto formed another Rasengan. He threw a kunai above Tsunade's head, Tsunade preemptively dodged, just barely avoiding the ensuing yellow flash and crash to the ground that Naruto made. The Rasengan tore up the cement below, implanting Naruto in the ground.

"I don't know how you learned that technique, but it won't help you. Give up."

"Never! I'm not the Hokage yet!" Naruto yelled at her. He pulled himself out the ground. "I'm...just getting started!"

"That's enough kid." Jiraiya said. He didn't want Naruto beaten so badly. Tsunade looked down at Naruto. He was panting, but he stared at her with determination she'd only ever seen in two people.

"I like you. You know what?" Tsunade started. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "If you can manage to land a hit on me by the end of the week, I'll go back to Konoha, but, if not...I get all the money in your wallet." She tossed his wallet into the air.

"H-hey! When'd you get that?!" Naruto checked himself. She really did have his wallet.

"I'll even throw this in." She said, fingering a necklace that hung on her. It was a simple string drawn through some kind of mineral. The rock was a pale green, bordering blue.

"Why would I want some shitty necklace?" Naruto stated. Jiraiya sweatdropped.

"Hey now...That necklace belonged to the Shodaime Hokage. If you sold it you could probably buy mountains." Naruto's eyes lit up, picturing cupboards filled to the brim with Ramen. "Oh Okay!"

"Now c'mon, let's get a room." Jiraiya left the alleyway, following Tsunade and Shizune to their hotel. "You're slow Naruto. That's why you couldn't land a hit."

"What'd you mean "slow"?!" Naruto cried. "I'm faster than some ANBU! They've rarely caught me!"

"There's a difference between movement and combat speed. You may run fast, yes, but you're reaction speed is slow. You're resting on your destructive power and the Kyuubi, when you should be training your reflexes. You need to fight faster."

"...that's confusing…"

"Imagine this: You can across Konoha in 7 minutes. That's pretty good. However, it takes you .20 seconds to react to a punch. A chunin can do it in .15. A Jounin can do it in .10...An Uchiha in .025."

"That's fast."

"That's the power of the Sharingan. You need to think faster."

"How do you "think" faster?"

"Okay, this is gonna get complicated...The civilian brain runs on .07 volts. That's less than .001 percent of the power that the Chidori uses."

"Okay?"

"The ninja runs on .3 volts. That means the brain has a little more power to do more things with."

"And?"

"An Uchiha usually runs on .7 volts. That's 10 times more than a civilian…"

"Uh-huh."

"And the Fourth Hokage ran on 1.6 volts. Imagine how much his brain could do. How fast he could analyze situations How fast he could react, even without the Hiraishin."

"I'd say you run on .1 volts. Less than most ninja, and much less than your friend."

"Yeah, and how do I train that?"

"You need to learn how to anticipate attacks, and you need to start training your brain. And that means you need to get smarter. Right now, you're an idiot."

"Hey!"

"It's the truth!"

* * *

"Naruto...please come with me." Naruto was getting hyped. He had a week to get fast enough to hit Tsunade in a fight. He didn't know how it would be tested, probably some spar at the end of the week, but he was super ready.

"Okay lady!"

"I'm Shizune...and this is Ton-Ton." The pig snorted.

"What'd ya need?"

"You must understand...Tsunade-sama doesn't hate the Title of Hokage...she hates how it tears loved ones away."

"What?"

"Her younger brother and my uncle...her lover, both had the dream of Hokage...and they both died brutal deaths...you haven't seen war like Tsunade-sama has!"

"Well...yeah, but I've seen some shit too!"

"That's not the point! That necklace she offered you...no one other than Tsunade can wear it."

"Why?"

"Any person who wears that necklace other than Tsunade...have died the next day."

"Really?"

"Her brother Nawaki...her lover Dan...they both were murdered! Nawaki was only 12. It was the day after his birthday! The dream of Hokage has taken everything away from her! She doesn't need to go through that pain again!"

"..."

"Do you have anything to say?!"

"I won't die like they did."

* * *

"C'mon Fox! You're like a bajillion years old! Help me out! You have to know something about thinking faster!"

" **NO!"**

"Asshole!" ' _Okay...stay calm...you're gonna be Hokage...you can figure this out. Ero-Sennin said that my reflexes are slow...so...that means I need to dodge...and that double Rasengan thing…'_ "Jeez...good thing I can make shadow clones. " _ **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_

"Alright! I'll we'll throw weapons at each other, and we'll get better at dodging. We might not make you physically better, but in terms of chakra and mentally, we can help." A clone said.

"Hey! What about the Rasengan?!" They stared at Naruto.

"Kami, we are dumb...you do know that we don't chakra like that." The clone sweat dropped."

"But the chakra is split evenly between us! I have the same amount as you guys do."

"But you're real. You're already making your own...we can't."

"Okay...why are you smarter than me?" The clone just shrugged, turning back to the crowd.

"Let's go!"

"YEAH!" A third of them died as soon as they started.

* * *

' _I can't believe that he's still out here. It's been four days...And he won't quit!.'_ Tsunade watched from a small distance away as the army of Naruto's practiced dodging. The original was holding the two Rasengan's in hand, as the clone helping him dissipated.

"Ugh! Why can't I do this by myself! Using a clone to do it works, but it's so slow!" Naruto screamed!" The Rasengan's exploded in his hands, driving him into the dirt. The clones began to pop as they ran out of chakra. Naruto sighed, forming the hand sign, and 50 new ones appeared. They were just as annoyed as he was.

"This isn't working! We're not getting better!"

"Just keep going!" Naruto commanded. The clones grumbled, pulling out some kunai as they prepared to dodge again.

Tsunade watched as Naruto worked himself to exhaustion. ' _Why does he try so hard?'_

"Why! WHY AREN'T WE GETTING BETTER?!" A clone screamed at the sky. "The other clones turned to look at him. "IT'S LIKE...WE'RE WEAK! WHY AM I **SO WEAK?!"** Red chakra began to leak out his body. The other clones began to scramble away in fear. " **NOTHING WORKS!"**

The real Naruto rushed over. He had no idea what was going on! Since when could his clones use the fox's chakra?! He pushed his fist into the clone, flinching at the burning feeling he felt. The clone went up in smoke, along with the rest of them.

"Since when were you inside the clones too?!"

" **Since always brat! I get split every single time! Whether I like it or not!"**

* * *

' _Tomorrow's the day, huh?'_ Tsunade thought. She'd been watching Naruto again. She'd watched as he'd finally begun to improve. ' _He did get better...he just didn't realize it.'_ She walked to the hotel, deep in thought. ' _He is so much like Nawaki...that smile...that face...that dream...that stupid, deadly dream! It takes away so much! And for what? The chance to lead? I don't want that! Why should I risk my life for the village! And from the stories I've heard, they're not that great either!'_ She noticed Shizune walking in her direction. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to check on Naruto...he hasn't come to the room since the bet started. He must be exhausted." Tsunade smirked.

"Just look at what he did to the environment. I'm going drinking with Jiraiya." She continued walking. Shizune watched her for a moment, before continuing on her path.

' _What'd she mean by that?'_ Shizune pondered. ' _Please Tsunade-sama…do not tarnish their name...What the hell?!'_

* * *

"I'm guessing that tomorrow's the day Orochimaru's expecting an answer?" Jiraiya stated, taking a sip of Sake. "The village honestly wants you to become Hokage...if you go and help that traitor...I'll have to kill you personally." Tsunade scoffed.

"You'd never have the balls." Jiraiya grinned.

"Probably…but I'm serious. Orochimaru brutally slaughtered Sensei...with Sensei's own teachers." Tsunade stiffened. "He brought them back. The First and Second Hokage. That has to do wonders for your mental health…"

"That's sick."

"Orochimaru...that teme never did care for others much...he offered to bring Nawaki and Dan back right? It's not true...they will be back...but do you know what it costs?" Tsunade didn't answer. "It's at the cost of another human life. You need to sacrifice someone's life to bring them back." He looked away, into the distance. "That wouldn't be what they wanted...right?" Jiraiya took another sip of his Sake. It tasted funny, but he was getting drunk. "It would be disrespectful to their memory...the dead should stay dead, no matter how much it hurts. That's what you need to keep the peace. Leave the dead to live their new lives…"

* * *

"C'mon lady. Wake up." Naruto shook Shizune. He'd woken up on a bed, which was odd, since he remembered falling asleep by one of the trees...well, stump. Shizune began to stir.

"Tsunade!" She shot up. "Wait...how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine!"

"You collapsed from exhaustion! How are you alright?!"

"I've always only needed one night of rest to get right back up! You don't ever have to worry about me! Well, except that one time…" He trailed off. Shizune stared at him, remembering that he was the Kyuubi container. "Today's the day! Where's that old hag?!"

"She went to...she went to the castle."

"Then let's go! I have to beat her!"

"W-wait. It will be dangerous! You stay here!" Shizune rushed to the window.

"H-hold up…" Jiraiya panted. He was holding himself against the wall. "S-she drugged me-me...we h-have to stop her...b-before she does someth-thing she reg-grets."

"What happened to you?!" Naruto yelled.

"Don't yell...please."

"I...it's best you come with me. Shizune got to work on helping Jiraiya out of his haze.

"She never was the best at letting go of the past…" Jiraiya said.

* * *

"Where's your medic?" Tsunade asked.

"Your response?" Orochimaru asked, ignoring her own question.

"...I'll do it...but you won't attack Konoha."

"...heheh. Very well." He lifted his arms up. Tsunade activated her palms. They began to glow a soft green. She reached for his arms.

"I thought you were smarter than this Tsunade." Orochimaru said. Tsunade hardened her eyes, she punched the ground beneath him. Orochimaru jumped onto the nearby wall. "I guess not." Kabuto appeared beside him.

"The others are coming."

"And here I thought that this would be easy. I was even willing to spare Konoha...pity."

"Yeah right." Orochimaru jumped away, leading Tsunade on a wild goose chase to field on the outskirts of the village.

"I've never fought her before…"

"You won't be the one fighting her." Kabuto said. He activated his palms. "I will."

"Oh no you don't!" Tsunade dodged the first strike. She smashed her palm into Kabuto's face, whipping his neck around. "You're weak."

"Says the old lady." Kabuto growled. He palmed at her leg, forcing her to jump over the blow. While she was in the air, he tried to palm her chest, but she knocked his hand away with so much force that Kabuto spun on his feet.

This exchange of blows continued, until her old age began to catch up with her, along with her stagnant training. He hit her in the arm, and it began to spaz out, unable to control the the muscles there. Using that opportunity, Kabuto severed the sinew in her chest. Tsunade collapsed at his feet, finding it difficult to breath.

"I told you...the new generation is always better. You've grown weak. Y-" Kabuto fell to the ground. "...!" He couldn't speak.

"I messed with your nervous system...it's all been scrambled." Tsunade weezed. She began to heal her chest. "This is the one time having massive tits have saved me." She muttered.

Kabuto struggled on the ground. ' _She just messed it up...she didn't destroy it...that means I can figure this out!'_ He tried to move his hand. His knee wiggled. ' _Okay…'_ He slowly regained control of his body. He staggered to his feet.

"What?"

"I've learned where the new signal's go."

"I'm impressed. But that won't stop me."

"But this will." He took a kunai from his holster. His hand shook slightly, but he succeeded. He raised his kunai towards his arm. In one move, his wrist was slit, blood pouring to the ground. Tsunade paled, backing away.

He rushed at her. She was paralyzed with fear, to the point where she couldn't move.

"Oh no you don't!" A kunai flew between Kabuto and Tsunade. Shizune, Naruto and Jiraiya landed between them. "Wait a sec...I know you! You were that guy who quit at the Chunin Exams!"

"Not now Naruto!" Jiraiya said. "Okay...I'll take Orochimaru...you and Shizune take him on." They nodded. Kabuto retreated to Orochimaru's side. Popping a soldier pill, the bleeding stopped and his skin repaired itself.

" _ **Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**_ Kabuto summoned a moderate sized snake for Orochimaru.

"Go! I'll take this idiot." Kabuto returned to Naruto and Shizune. Jiraiya went off to face Orochimaru.

"I wanna know...why'd you betray Konoha?!" Naruto asked.

"I never did...I was never a ninja of Konoha. I was a spy, gathering info for Orochimaru."

"On what?"

"Your friend. The Uchiha. He holds one of the strongest Doujutsu this world has to offer...he is nominally stronger than you."

"I read one of his journals...what do you want with him?!"

"We will train into the most powerful person on the planet...and then Orochimaru will take his body, to use the Sharingan to learn all jutsu this world has to offer!" Kabuto cackled. In Naruto's eyes, Kabuto was just as twisted as Orochimaru was. And that was a no-go.

"You won't touch him!"

"He will come to us willingly! In search of power! The Uchiha might as well have already died!" Kabuto sneered.

* * *

 **Okay! That's the end! Please Rate and Review! I like hearing your feedback. I want to know what you guys want in this Fanfiction.**


End file.
